Unseasonal rains in parts of Delhi-NCR; hailstorm damages crops in Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP
Parts of Delhi NCR experienced light rains on Monday evening causing slow traffic and lowering the temperature in the region.
A fresh spell of unseasonal rains on Monday evening lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR causing slow traffic. The sudden change in weather decreased the temperature giving relief from the heat.
Parts of Delhi received light rians in the morning as well. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert predicting heavy to moderate rainfall along with strong winds and cloudy blasts.
Just a day earlier, the weatherman had predicted rainfall along with thunderstorms in the Northwest and East states. Several regions in Madhya Pradesh including Jabalpur, Panna, Satna, Khajuraho, Khargone, Khandwa among others witnessed hail. These include where the winds blew between 40 to 80 kmph.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature settled at 17.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's average while the relative humidity at 8.30.am was recorded at 83 per cent. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 26 degrees Celsius.
Hailstorms damage standing crops in Rajasthan
Rainfall triggered by a western disturbance continued in parts of Rajasthan on Monday and Mahaveerji in Karauli district recorded a maximum of 7 cm rain, the weather department said. Hailstorms occurred in some places on Sunday, damaging standing crops in several parts of Rajasthan.
Boli in Sawai Madhopur, Parbatsar in Nagaur, Raipur in Pali recorded 4 cm while Tonk received 3 cm of rain during a period of 24 hours ending at 8.
30 am Monday.
Several other places also received below 3 cm rain during this period, according to the MeT department. A weather department official said that the impact of the western disturbance will continue in areas of Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer and Bharatpur divisions on Monday while the weather will be mainly dry on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A new western disturbance will activate in the state on Thursday due to which rainfall activities in Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, and Ajmer divisions will revive for a couple of days.
Similar story in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh
A fresh spell of unseasonal rains battered several parts of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh for two consecutive days.
In UP, Lalitpur in Bundelkhand district witnessed damaged fields and sown crops due to heavy hailstorms accompanied by a gusty wind. As per visuals, after the hailstorm, many farm fields was entirely blanketed with hail. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the officials to conduct relief work in hailstorm-affected areas.
In Gujarat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday held a review meeting to assess the situation. Several parts of Kutch, Patan, Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Surat and other districts received more than 15 mm rainfall on Saturday evening, while 81 talukas witnessed showers in 24 hours till 6 am on Sunday, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.
According to the state government, 1 mm to 47 mm rainfall was recorded in 111 talukas of 27 districts, of which 33 talukas in 18 districts received more than 10 mm rainfall on Sunday.
Unseasonal showers were also recorded in 27 districts from March 5 to March 9.
Amid concerns about the loss of rabi crops, the chief minister conducted a comprehensive review of the situation, an official said.
He received primary details about the loss of crops and fruits, especially in Amreli and Junagadh, and other districts in Saurashtra-Kutch, central and north Gujarat, an official statement said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rainfall accompanied by wind and thunderstorms in parts of north Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch regions in the next five days. Warnings for thunderstorms were also issued in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, southeast Uttar Pradesh, coastal Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh.
(With PTI input)