First monsoon showers expose MC ill-preparedness in Chandigarh, Mohali
Even as the monsoon arrival on Saturday brought much-needed relief from the sweltering heat, it exposed the ill-preparedness of the civic bodies. Most parts of Chandigarh and Mohali were inundated due to clogged drains and blocked road gullies.
The city recorded 34 mm rainfall, which was the second-heaviest in the region after 39 mm rainfall logged in Yamunanagar. The overnight rain led to a considerable dip in the minimum temperature in UT — the third-lowest in the region. The UT and Mohali also witnessed moderate to heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorm, in the evening, leaving the low-lying areas inundated.
Meanwhile, The Tribune Chowk, which is one of the busiest junctions in the city, along with several other rotaries, was severely waterlogged. There was traffic chaos at the rotaries and the connecting roads. A portion of the road leading to Kishangarh near the Chandigarh Golf Range caved in following the downpour.
During the rain, which was accompanied by moderate winds and thunderstorm, several trees and poles were uprooted in Chandigarh and Mohali, damaging vehicles and public property. This also exposed the lackadaisical approach on the part of the civic authorities, which failed to prune the old and overgrown trees before the monsoon.
If this was not enough, unscheduled power cuts compounded the residents’ problems. In Mohali, the residents of most areas, especially Sector 69, 80 and their adjoining sectors, remained without power supply since midnight. The supply was restored after remaining suspended for almost 12 hours around noon.
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) officials attributed the major power disruption to the damage caused to the supply lines by uprooted trees and poles.
The evening downpour once again plunged most parts of Mohali into darkness. The power supply, which was suspended around 8 pm, was not restored when the reports last came in.
Chandigarh’s 23.8° Celsius night temperature remained the third-lowest minimum temperature in the region after Yamunanagar and Panchkula, which recorded the lowest and second-lowest of 20.9° C and 23.1° C, respectively.
While the city’s minimum temperature dipped by 5.4 degrees during the past 24 hours, which was 2.8 degrees departure from the normal, Mohali recorded 24.6° C on Friday night.
The weathermen have issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain in the region on Sunday and Monday.
“There will be an increase in rainfall activity over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana from Saturday to July 1,” said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
“Conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon over the remaining parts of Haryana during the next two days,” the weathermen said.
On Saturday, the maximum temperature went down by 3.3 notches to settle at 33.9° C, below normal by 2.4 degrees in Chandigarh.
The weathermen have predicted a generally cloudy sky with thunderstorms and rain in the tricity region over the next five days.
Bathinda in Punjab and Sirsa as well as Bhiwani in Haryana recorded the highest minimum temperature of 31.1 and 30.2° C, respectively, to be the warmest towns in the region on Friday night.
While Sirsa remained the hottest place in the region on Saturday as well with the maximum of 40.4° C, which was the highest in the region, Bathinda logged the maximum of 39.6° C to stay the hottest town in Punjab today.
Mohali in Punjab and Yamunanagar in Haryana experienced the least warm night in the region on Friday with the lowest minimum temperature of 24.6 and 20.9° C, respectively.
“As compared to yesterday, there was a fall of 0.7 degree and 1.3 degree in the average maximum temperature, with the mercury remaining near normal and below normal by 3.1 degrees in Punjab and Haryana, respectively, on Saturday,” the IMD said, while confirming light to moderate and heavy rainfall coupled with gusty winds and thunderstorm at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana.
FORECAST & WARNING
Light to moderate rain is likely at many places in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on June 29, 30, July 1, and thereafter as well.
Heavy rainfall (7cm or more) is very likely at isolated places over northern and eastern parts of Punjab & Haryana, including Chandigarh during this spell.
Chandigarh