CHANDIGARH, July 13 — A fresh spell of heavy rain lashed Chandigarh on Sunday, bringing 28 mm of rainfall between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM — one of the heaviest downpours of the day in the region. While the showers brought relief from searing temperatures, they also triggered widespread disruptions, including waterlogging, road cave-ins, and power outages.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Monday, forecasting heavy rainfall at isolated places across Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana. The city is expected to see a mix of thunderstorms and rain for the next five days, up to July 18.
Though the downpour helped ease the humidity and heat, it plunged many localities into chaos. Roads and roundabouts in low-lying areas were submerged again, and several stretches of tarmac gave way under the pressure of rainwater, posing serious risks to commuters. Multiple locations also reported outages in power and water supply.
“The rainfall has been intense but sporadic. Relative humidity stood at 86 percent today,” an IMD official said, noting that Sunday’s maximum and minimum temperatures in Chandigarh were 35°C and 27.1°C, respectively — slightly above the seasonal average.
Nearby towns in the tricity experienced far lighter rainfall, with Mohali recording 3.5 mm and Panchkula 5 mm. Despite the lower intensity, the showers offered much-needed relief from the region’s hot and humid spell.
Elsewhere in the region, Anandpur Sahib was the hottest spot in Punjab on Sunday with a high of 37.2°C, while Indri topped Haryana with 36.6°C. In contrast, Narnaul and Pathankot experienced the coolest nights at 23.3°C and 25.4°C, respectively.
According to IMD data, Sunday’s average maximum temperatures fell marginally — by 0.1°C in Punjab and 0.4°C in Haryana — remaining near normal.
The rainfall comes on the heels of a wet July for Chandigarh. The city recorded 31 mm of rain on July 1 alone, followed by 221.2 mm between Sunday and Tuesday last week. That deluge caused significant flooding, road collapses, uprooted trees and poles, and widespread damage to infrastructure — disrupting life across the tricity for three consecutive days.
June had already set a record for the city, with 213 mm of rainfall — the highest in a decade and 37 percent above normal.
With the monsoon in full swing and more showers on the horizon, officials are urging residents to exercise caution, especially in flood-prone and structurally weak zones.
