Rains lash Delhi, bring respite from heat

Delhiites got some respite from the scorching heat on Wednesday after a thunderstorm followed by rains lashed the city.

According to the MeT department, thunderstorm along with rain occurred in several parts of Delhi which caused heavy traffic on certain roads including Vikas Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, NH 8 and NH 1.

Earlier, the MeT department had forecast rains and a maximum temperature of around 38 degrees Celsius. More rains are expected in the evening and late night hours, an official of the department said.

The relative humidity level was recorded at 65 per cent at 8.30 am.

Light to moderate rains also lashed a few places in Haryana and Punjab on Wednesday, bringing down the mercury by a few notches.

Chandigarh, Mohali, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Ropar and Hoshiarpur in Punjab were among the places which received intermittent rains.

In Haryana, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Kalka and Ambala received rains.

The rain gave respite to residents from sweltering summer heat and also brought cheers to farmers readying their fields for paddy transplantation.

Rain is also considered beneficial for seasonal crops like sugarcane and maize.

Strong winds also hit many places including Chandigarh this morning, disrupting power supply in a few areas for a brief period.