Chandigarh, May 3: A severe weather system moved through Punjab and Chandigarh early Sunday morning, ending a prolonged heatwave but causing significant infrastructure damage and power disruptions. The sudden shift brought heavy rain and winds gusting between 70 and 80 kilometers per hour, leading the Meteorological Department to issue an orange alert for the region through May 5.
Darkness enveloped the area until approximately 7:30 a.m. as thick clouds obscured the morning sun. While the storm provided a sharp drop in temperatures—falling by as much as six degrees Celsius in some districts—it also uprooted trees and electric poles. These incidents resulted in widespread electricity cuts and hampered the movement of commuters and Sunday travelers.
Agricultural concerns have surfaced following the downpour, particularly for those in the cotton and wheat belts. In Ludhiana, where 24.6 mm of rain fell by 8:30 a.m., the sudden deluge threatened produce currently held in local markets. “Farmers sowing cotton should proceed only after observing the weather conditions,” stated Mansa Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Harvinder Singh Sidhu. He asserted that excessive rainfall could lead to water stagnation, which risks causing newly sown crops to rot.
Official figures from the Meteorological Department confirmed that Chandigarh received 19.7 mm of rain, while Mohali recorded 19 mm. Other affected areas included Amritsar, Nawanshahr, Ferozepur, and Rupnagar. The storm’s intensity caused physical damage to property, with reports of roofs and sheds being displaced by the high-velocity winds.
Meteorologists have predicted that the volatile conditions will persist for the next 48 hours. The current forecast indicates a continued possibility of hailstorms and heavy thundershowers, maintaining the need for the issued orange and yellow alerts across the state.
