BBC News:-
A thunderstorm in India’s capital city, Delhi, led to a steep drop in temperature and caused power blackouts in several areas on Monday morning.
Heavy rains also disrupted flights at the Delhi International Airport and caused traffic jams in the capital.
Delhi and other parts of northern India have been facing intense heatwaves since March this year.
Earlier this month, temperatures hit a record 49.2C (120.5F) in some parts of the capital.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday that it expected “fairly widespread rainfall activity” over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh this week. The cause, it added, was a western disturbance – a storm originating in the Mediterranean region – and a cyclonic circulation associated with it.
On Monday, Delhi and neighbouring areas reported heavy rains and winds up to 70kmph.
IMD said that surface temperature in Delhi fell 11 degrees – from 29C to 18C – between 5.40 am and 7 am on Monday.
This was the lowest temperature the city has witnessed this month. Parts of the capital and surrounding areas had also received light rainfall over the weekend.
Summer began early this year in northern India as successive heatwaves threw millions of lives and livelihoods out of gear.
While heatwaves are common in India during May and June, they began in March this time, with average maximum temperatures hitting record highs.
Delhi had received only four to five thunderstorms between March and May against the usual 12-14, IMD said.
Many Delhi residents took to social media to share their joy over the much-awaited rain.
