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Chandigarh: Temperature drops by 8 degrees after 53 mm rain
Maximum temperature dips to 29.4°C following rain; weather department has forecast light rain for the next two days in Chandigarh
A fresh weather system brought along 53 mm rain over the past 24 hours that caused the mercury to drop by 8.6 degrees.
Recorded at 38°C on Friday, the maximum temperature plunged to 29.4°C following the showers on Saturday, four degrees below the normal. The minimum temperature also dipped from 28.4°C to 23.5°C, three degrees below normal.
The 24-hour rain exceeding 50mm is the first occurrence since July 9, when Chandigarh had witnessed its wettest day in 70 years, with a remarkable 302.2 mm of rain. A record-breaking 658.7 mm rain has been recorded in the city in July so far.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light rain is likely to continue in the city on Sunday and Monday, but no warnings have been issued for Chandigarh. Additionally, there won’t be significant fluctuations in the maximum temperature for the next seven days.
According to IMD officials, the city is experiencing rain due to a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) and active monsoon.
The rain once again caused Sukhna Lake’s water level to rise to 1162 feet, just a notch lower than the danger mark of 1163 feet. UT officials said one flood gate will be opened if the water level rises further.
Woman injured in tree collapse
The showers brought a tree down near Kala Mata Mandir in Sector 19, leaving a woman injured. The woman was provided first-aid and the tree was removed by the UT engineering department staff.
A portion of the Kalka-Shimla highway also collapsed amid the rain. As a result, traffic was diverted via Baddi.
Due to waterlogging, a bridge over Patiala Ki Rao from Dadumajra towards Mullanpur was closed and traffic was diverted. The route was reopened later in the evening. A slip road in Phase 9, Mohali, also caved in due to the rain.
Mohali residents reel under 10-hour power cut
Residents in several parts of Mohali, especially those along Airport Road, woke up to no power that continued for an insufferable 10 hours.
Power cut was imposed around 5 am in various parts of Sector 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80, and supply did not resume until 3.30 am. Residents of TDI’s Sectors 74, 116,117,118 and 119 also complained of long power outage. Waterlogging compounded their woes.
PSPCL executive engineer Taranjit Singh said power was snapped in areas along the Airport Road as some trees collapsed on overhead power cables. “It took time to clear the trees, hence the long outage,” he said.
In TDI City, Taranjit said, waterlogging due to poor drainage system damaged the underground cable supply system. In some parts, electricity poles also fell, wiping out power in the respective areas.
TDI residents complained that ever since the monsoon season had begun, they had been facing frequent power cuts.
Vijay Kumar Saini, president of 20 Acres TDI Resident Welfare Association, said home owners had spent huge amounts on buying properties in TDI City, but civic amenities were far from satisfactory.
“Residents have been suffering from the perennial problem of waterlogging due to the poor drainage system. Our plight gets multiplied during the monsoon season when our locality turns into a pond. To top it all, our area is facing long power cuts,” said Rajesh Kumar, another resident.
