New Delhi: Heavy rains lashed Chennai and its
suburbs on Wednesday under the influence of an `upper air
circulation` in the Bay of Bengal, while parts of Punjab and
Himachal Pradesh continued to receive showers for the third
straight day.
However, in the national capital, temperature rose
sharply from yesterday`s 26.9 degrees to 36.3 degrees. Though
the maximum was four degrees below the normal, the day
recorded a high humidity level between 25 and 89 per cent.
Train services on the rain-hit Jodhpur-Jaisalmer section
in Rajasthan remained affected on the third consecutive day
though water has receded from tracks in desert areas. Tracks
were damaged in at least 10 places in heavy rains early this
week. With the influence of cyclonic storm `Phet` easing,
there was a let up in rain in the state.
Chennai received heavy rains and with the `upper air
circulation` persisting, showers are likely in Tamil Nadu and
Puducherry coasts. Chennai and adjoining areas recorded 24 mm
of rainfall.
The plains in Himachal Pradesh were battered by heavy
rains disrupting normal life in several areas as the higher
reaches received a fresh spell of snowfall.
Shimla recorded 72.4 mm of rains and the maximum settled
at a cool 13.4 degrees, 11 degrees below normal. Several
places registered rainfall of over 100 mm with Gohar recording
124 mm, Jubbar Hatti 108 mm and Sunni Bhajji 100 mm.
Light rains cooled Jammu and Kashmir and temperature
settled three-five degrees below normal. While the maximum in
Srinagar was 25 degrees, it was 37.7 degrees in Jammu, five
degrees below normal.
Rains continued at some places in Punjab and Haryana.
Ambala, which had received a heavy downpour 84.7 mm, recorded
a maximum of 34.7 degrees, down by five notches. Chandigarh,
received 75.3 mm of showers and the mercury settled at 34
degrees. Patiala was lashed by 56 mm of rains.
Yesterday, the region was lashed by widespread rains and
the maximum temperatures had hovered around 25 degrees.
After a few days of rain, mercury soared in parts of
Rajasthan with Chittorgarh recording 40.8 degrees. Kota
registered a maximum of 40.6 degrees. Mercury at both Churu
and Jaipur increased by 8 and 7 notches respectively from
yesterday`s to settle at 37.6 and 36.9 degrees.
In Uttar Pradesh, Jhansi recorded 40 degrees, while
Mercury remained low at 37 degrees in Lucknow.
PTI
