21mm rain lowers Ludhiana’s mercury to 27.5°C

Meteorological department officials said that the district received 21mm rainfall, while the maximum temperature was 27.5°C and the minimum 18.8°C

Early morning showers brought a dip in mercury and caused paddy harvesting to be stalled across the district on Tuesday.

Early morning showers brought a dip in mercury and caused paddy harvesting to be stalled across the district on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Meteorological department officials said that the district received 21mm rainfall, while the maximum temperature was 27.5°C and the minimum 18.8°C. The showers also improved the air quality of the city with the index (AQI) rising to 61 points against 76 the previous day.

Chief agricultural officer Amanjeet Singh said no loss to paddy crop was reported in the city, but paddy harvesting operations have been suspended for a couple of days.

With the weather turning pleasant, the markets were abuzz with activity. “It is after several years that I am enjoying a pleasant afternoon in October. Usually, one stays indoors during the month due to increase in air pollution because of stubble burning. The rain has also caused the dust to settle in so we decided to walk to the market instead of taking our car,” said Sandeep Gupta, who resides in Civil Lines.

Meanwhile, Dr Gaurav Sachdeva, a private practitioner, advised residents to wear full-sleeved clothes to avoid catching a cold and prevent mosquito bites.“The sudden dip in temperature could lead to an uptick in colds and the rain makes the weather favourable for mosquito breeding. So, it is important not to let water accumulate around the house,” Sachdeva said.