Heavy rain lashes Chennai, suburbs

Parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh continue to receive showers for third day

However, in the national capital, temperature rose sharply from yesterday’s 26.9 degrees to 36.3 degrees. Though the maximum was four degrees below the normal, the day recorded a high humidity level between 25 and 89 per cent.

Train services on the rain-hit Jodhpur-Jaisalmer section in Rajasthan remained affected on the third consecutive day though water has receded from tracks in desert areas. Tracks were damaged in at least ten places in heavy rains early this week. With the influence of cyclonic storm ‘Phet’ easing, there was a let up in rain in the state.

Chennai received heavy rains and with the ‘upper air circulation’ persisting, showers are likely in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts. Chennai and adjoining areas recorded 24 mm of rainfall.

Normal life hit

The plains in Himachal Pradesh were battered by heavy rains disrupting normal life in several areas as the higher reaches received a fresh spell of snowfall. Shimla recorded 72.4 mm of rains and the maximum settled at a cool 13.4 degrees, eleven degrees below normal. Several places registered rainfall of over 100 mm with Gohar recording 124 mm, Jubbar Hatti 108 mm and Sunni Bhajji 100 mm.

Light rains cooled Jammu and Kashmir and temperature settled three-five degrees below normal. While the maximum in Srinagar was 25 degrees, it was 37.7 degrees in Jammu, five degrees below normal.

Rains continued at some places in Punjab and Haryana. Ambala, which had received a heavy downpour 84.7 mm, recorded a maximum of 34.7 degrees, down by five notches. Chandigarh, received 75.3 mm of showers and the mercury settled at 34 degrees. Patiala was lashed by 56 mm of rains.

On Tuesday, the region was lashed by widespread rains and the maximum temperatures had hovered around 25 degrees. After a few days of rain, mercury soared in parts of Rajsathan with Chittorgarh recording 40.8 degrees. Kota registered a maximum of 40.6 degrees. Mercury at both Churu and Jaipur increased by 8 and 7 notches respectively from yesterday’s to settle at 37.6 and 36.9 degrees. In Uttar Pradesh, Jhansi recorded 40 degrees, while Mercury remained low at 37 degrees in Lucknow.