A fierce rainstorm swept across Chandigarh and Punjab at dawn, dragging thick, brooding clouds and plunging cities into eerie, premature darkness.
In Chandigarh Tricity, by around 7:30 am, the sky had turned pitch dark. Strong winds and lightning caused significant damage at isolated locations. Trees were uprooted, and several vehicles parked in the open were damaged. Power outages were reported after falling branches and uprooted trunks fell on electricity lines. There were also unconfirmed reports of power poles collapsing under the impact of the winds.
At multiple places, glass windows of houses were shattered, car windscreens damaged, and temporary sheds uprooted due to the intense storm.
Issuing a red alert, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated the present weather shift to a moderate thunderstorm with squall and wind speed exceeding up to 60 km per hour.
Horticulture farmers, particularly mango growers, reported losses as strong winds triggered large-scale fruit drop just ahead of harvest.
In Punjab’s Ludhiana, sheets of rain lashed streets and lightning tore across the sky. Each blinding flash was followed by rumbling thunder, while strong winds – in some areas coupled with dust – disrupted normal life.
The storm’s intensity led to widespread disruption. Visibility remained low in the wee hours as thick cloud cover engulfed the region. As winds started blowing, power supply was snapped in several areas.
However, the rain brought a pleasant surprise and provided a lot of respite from the rising temperatures that had gone beyond around 41-42°C in recent days. The temperature dropped sharply to around 24°C, bringing relief to residents struggling with sultry weather and unscheduled power cuts.
Roads wore a deserted look as the sudden rains forced people indoors. Being Sunday, many residents chose to stay back and enjoy the rain unfold over cups of morning tea.
The rain has also raised concerns for farmers. With the wheat harvesting season under way, there are chances of damage to crops lying in mandis. Though the authorities have made arrangements by making sheds, still farmers have every reason to worry about.
As per the IMD, a moderate thunderstorm with squall, with wind speeds of 50-60 kmph, is likely over parts of Patiala, Nabha, Rajpura, Dera Bassi, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh, Mohali, Bassi Pathana, Khanna, Chandigarh, Kharar, Khamanon, Chamkaur Sahib, Samrala, Rup Nagar, Balachaur and Anandpur Sahib.
The IMD has also forecast moderate thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds ranging between 40 and 60 kmph over parts of Sangrur, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Samana, Patiala, Nabha, Amloh, Khanna, Payal, Ludhiana East and West, Chamkaur Sahib, Samrala, Rup Nagar, Balachaur, Nawanshahr, Anandpur Sahib, Garhshankar and Nangal.
Meanwhile, light rain is likely at parts of Sunam, Sangrur, Barnala, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Patran, Samana, Nabha, Payal, Ludhiana East and West, Raikot, Jagraon, Phillaur, Nakodar, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Balachaur, Nawanshahr, Anandpur Sahib, Garhshankar, Nangal and Hoshiarpur.
