Mercury plunges to 7.4°C in Ludhiana after 20.2 mm rain

IMD forecasts more showers in the coming days; district mandi officer says arrangements in place to protect paddy from rain

The city witnessed a sharp 7.4°C fall in maximum temperature on Sunday as 20.2 mm of rainfall lashed the district, triggering waterlogging in some areas and raising concerns among farmers as the paddy harvest and procurement season gathers pace.

Commuters drenched during rain in Ludhiana on Sunday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

The maximum temperature settled at 24°C, 9.3°C below normal, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further showers over the coming days.

The downpour brought a marked change in daytime temperatures, although the minimum temperature remained relatively high. It settled at 21.6°C, dipping slightly from Saturday’s reading but staying 3.4°C above normal. Showers were reported at most places in the district.

The district was under a red alert on Sunday for thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and hail. The IMD has forecast rainfall at a few places in Ludhiana on October 12 and 14, although no warning for thunderstorms or hail has been issued for either day.

Yellow alerts have been issued for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds on October 13 and 15. Rainfall is also expected at several places in the district on October 15, keeping farmers on alert as harvesting and procurement continue.

The showers have raised concerns over the possible impact on paddy harvesting and the movement of the crop to mandis.

Sukhjeet Singh, a farmer from Lalton Kalan, said the rain could prove a setback as the crop was ready for harvesting.

However, agricultural officials have not reported any noticeable damage to standing crops so far.

Ludhiana chief agricultural officer Gurdeep Singh said the rainfall had not yet had a discernible impact on the crop. “As of now, there is no noticeable impact on the standing crops as the rainfall has just started, and it was not very much to impact the crops,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, paddy arrivals and procurement are underway across the district’s mandis.

District mandi officer Gurmatpal Singh Gill said the district’s 108 mandis had received 150 lakh metric tonnes of paddy by Saturday, accounting for 10% of the expected crop. Of this, 140 lakh metric tonnes had already been procured.

Gill said adequate arrangements had been made at the mandis to protect the crop from rain.