CHANDIGARH, June 29: The Tricity was battered by the region’s heaviest rainfall in 24 hours, with 119.5 mm of rain recorded till 8.30 am Sunday, throwing normal life out of gear and triggering widespread power outages, waterlogging, and property damage.
The rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, was confirmed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as the heaviest in Punjab and Haryana, surpassing even the previous day’s 34 mm recorded in Chandigarh.
Though the downpour brought respite from the heat, it exposed gaping holes in the city’s civic preparedness. Roads caved in, trees and poles were uprooted, vehicles were damaged, and several neighbourhoods experienced long power and water supply cuts.
“We are facing the same chaos every year. The drains are never cleared, and this time even street poles fell on cars,” said Kiran Bhatia, a resident of Sector 22.
In Mohali, residents endured another sleepless night, with power remaining suspended from 11 pm to 5 am. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) attributed the blackout to storm-related breakdowns, the second major disruption after Friday’s 12-hour outage.
IMD issues orange alert
The South-West monsoon has now covered the entire country, nine days ahead of schedule, the IMD confirmed. An orange alert has been issued for Monday, warning of heavy to very heavy rain coupled with thunderstorms and lightning in Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana.
“Light to moderate rainfall is likely over most places with heavy rainfall at isolated locations in the region till July 1,” the IMD stated.
“An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over north Haryana and the neighbourhood, up to 1.5 km above mean sea level,” the department added.
Maximum damage zones
Heavy rainfall data from the region includes:
- Chandigarh: 12 cm
- Ropar: 11 cm
- Ambala Cantonment & Ambala City: 9 cm each
“Thunderstorms also occurred at isolated places,” the IMD said.
The maximum temperature in Chandigarh dropped to 30.2°C, down by 3.7 degrees from Saturday, while the minimum was 23.6°C, dipping 0.2 degrees. Both readings were below normal by over 6 and 3 degrees, respectively.
Extended wet spell expected
The IMD has predicted generally cloudy to partly cloudy skies with thunderstorms and rain till July 4 in Chandigarh and across the region. Heavy rainfall of 7 cm or more is likely in isolated places across northern and eastern Punjab and Haryana, and in Chandigarh on Monday.
Civic authorities, meanwhile, have come under heavy fire for repeating mistakes every monsoon. Residents in Manimajra, Dadu Majra, and Phase 7 Mohali complained of inaccessible roads, submerged basements, and collapsed infrastructure.
“It’s the same every year. Our colony turns into a lake, and we’re left praying our inverters and fridges survive,” said Balbir Singh, a resident of Phase 3B1 in Mohali.
The administration has not issued a formal response yet.
