The much awaited rain lashed most parts of northern India, including the Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Parts of Rajasthan, Delhi and adjoining areas in national capital region.
The rain brought relief to the people from the scorching heat continuing for over a month.The monsoon showers lashed Gorakhpur, Basti, Lakhimpur Kheri, Allahabad, Jaunpur and Varanasi districts on Friday. AIR Gorakhpur Correspondent reports that the day temperature was recorded two to three degrees below normal and weather remained pleasant.
The flood situation continues to be grim in Dhemaji district of Assam. Around 325 villages are affected. More than 900 houses have been completely washed away. The surging water of Jiadhal breached its embankment on Friday. Rescue and relief operations are hampered as flood water overtopped and breached roads at 37 points. AIR Correspondent reports that people have taken shelter at relief camps and high embankments.
Though weak, the monsoon has covered most parts of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Haryana, Punjab and east Rajasthan. AIR Correspondent reports that medium to heavy rain lashed most parts of the national capital region on Friday leading to traffic jams at major intersections. Hundreds of office-goers were stranded across the capital.
The weatherman predicts generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thunder showers today. Rain or thunder showers are likely to occur at many places in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and at a few places in Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh.
In Assam, the death toll in floods and landslides has gone up to 121 while 16 people are still missing. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday visited flood affected Nalbari and Barpeta district to take stock of the situation. About 550 animals have been killed in floods at Kaziranga National Park.
Delhi recorded over 40 mm of rain in the first few hours of the monsoon, bringing the mercury down and providing relief to people reeling under heat. No major traffic snarl or water logging was reported from the city as there was no heavy rain in the morning hours though the sky was cloudy and it was drizzling.
The showers also brought down the minimum temperature to 23.2 degree Celsius, four degrees below normal. This is the first time in the past over one month that the minimum temperature has come below normal levels.
Meanwhile, the East, North and South Delhi municipal corporations have set up a common control room to tackle complaints related to civic services in the capital. Citizens can lodge any complaint related to water logging, sanitation, repair, fallen trees and uncovered manholes at the control room. The control room numbers are – 1266, 23212700, 23220010, 23220016and 23220037.
