Panipat, May 5: A sudden hailstorm accompanied by intense rainfall and winds reaching up to 60 mph struck Panipat district late Sunday night, leaving large parts of the city waterlogged and without electricity.
The storm brought traffic to a standstill and caused widespread damage to infrastructure.
Several key locations, including NH-44 near Sanjay Chowk, Khadi Ashram, and the city’s main bus stand, were submerged due to the downpour. Waterlogging in these areas led to prolonged traffic congestion that continued for several hours into the night.
The gusty winds uprooted trees and brought down iron poles at numerous sites across the city, adding to the chaos.
“The wind speed peaked around 60 kilometers per hour during the storm,” an official from the Meteorological Department said.
The electrical infrastructure bore the brunt of the storm’s fury.
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) reported receiving over 1,200 complaints of power outages by midnight.
Many households remained without electricity through the night as repair teams struggled to restore supply.
“The turbulent weather disrupted power supply across multiple sectors,” said Dharam Suhag, Superintending Engineer at UHBVN.
“We received about 1,200 complaints by midnight. Preliminary assessments suggest that 223 electric poles were damaged, and nine transformers collapsed, disturbing supply on seven key lines.”
Restoration efforts are underway, with power officials prioritizing critical areas. Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious amid the ongoing cleanup and repair work.
