Rain, thunderstorm likely in Delhi; 'orange' alert issued for hailstorm in Himachal

Light rain, moderate thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds are likely over several parts of Delhi, including Jafarpur, Najafgarh, Dwarka, Palam, IGI Airport, Vasant Vihar, Vasant Kunj, Mehrauli, Tughlakabad, Chhattarpur, IGNOU, Ayanagar and Deramandi, as well as in parts of the NCR, such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar and Ballabhgarh.

New Delhi: A day after recording the second-highest 24-hour spell of rain in May since 1901, the IMD forecast a brief spell of rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, in Delhi on Saturday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kilometres per hour for the national capital, with a 'yellow' alert -- "Be Aware" -- in place. As a precaution, people have been advised to stay indoors, avoid sheltering under trees and unplug electronic appliances.

Meanwhile, the Met office in Shimla has issued an 'orange' warning for hailstorms in isolated places of Himachal Pradesh till Sunday even as parts of the state received rain on Saturday.

Shimla and its surrounding Jubbarhatti area were lashed by a hailstorm and several other places by heavy rain on Friday.

Several areas in Delhi, including Jafarpur, Najafgarh, Dwarka, Palam, IGI Airport, Vasant Kunj, Tughlakabad and Deramandi, and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) such as Gurugram and Faridabad are likely to witness light rain, moderate thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds.

The weather office has also forecast thunderstorms and rain for Sunday.

An intense storm with heavy early-morning rain hit the national capital on Friday, causing a house collapse that killed a woman and her three children and delaying more than 200 flights, even as the city grappled with widespread waterlogging.

According to IMD data, Safdarjung -- Delhi's primary weather station -- recorded 77 mm of rain between 2:30 am and 8:30 am, the second highest in four years.

Visuals from different areas showed uprooted trees and people stuck in waterlogged roads.

On Saturday, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma announced a 21-day special campaign for cleaning civic infrastructure, including roads, drains and flyovers, and removing the beggars staying underneath the flyovers.

Following a visit to the New Delhi area, Verma held a meeting with officials and discussed the flood-prevention strategy.

"In the next 21 days, all of Delhi must be clean. Roadside debris, open drains, waterlogged areas -- everything must be cleared. No dirty spots should remain. We will not let public money go to waste," Verma said.

In a related development, the Met office has issued a 'yellow' warning for thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching speeds of 30-50 kilometres per hour till May 9 in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts.

Bilapsur, Reckong Peo, Hamirpur and Tabo witnessed gusty winds during the 24 hours ended at 5 pm.

Dehra Gopipur was the wettest place in Himachal Pradesh during the 24 hours ended at 5 pm, recording 37.2 mm of rainfall, followed by Kufri (18.5 mm), Poanta Sahib (17.4 mm), Shimla (16.6 mm), Kandaghat (15 mm), Jubbarhatti (14.8 mm), Dharamshala and Manali (11 mm each) Barrage (10.4 mm) and Solan (10 mm).

Several parts of Rajasthan experienced thunderstorms and rain, leading to a significant drop in temperatures, the local Met office said.

Jhunjhunu and its nearby areas witnessed hailstorms while light rain accompanied by thunderstorms was reported from many parts.

According to the Met office, a series of western disturbances was expected to affect the region over the coming week, bringing light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by strong winds and lightning, in many parts of the state.

From May 5-7, parts of southwestern Rajasthan are likely to see intense thunderstorm activity and moderate to heavy rainfall. Isolated areas in Barmer, Jalore and nearby districts may receive heavy rain on May 6-7, the weather office said.

In Punjab and Haryana, maximum temperature settled a few notches below normal at many places amid hot weather conditions in parts of the two states, according to the Met office in Chandigarh.

Patiala in Punjab recorded a high of 35.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. Ludhiana recorded a high of 36.5 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees notches below normal, while the maximum temperature in Amritsar settled at 33.6 degrees, 4.8 notches below normal.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 35.4 degrees Celsius, 2.6 notches below normal, while Hisar recorded a high of 36 degrees, four notches below normal.