Rain and squall lash Punjab; wheat stocks at mandis at risk

Bathinda: Untimely rain and strong winds lashed several parts of Punjab on Sunday, raising concerns over nearly 50 lakh metric tonnes of wheat lying in mandis awaiting lifting.In Hoshiarpur, a man was injured after electricity poles collapsed during a squall. Officials said a major mishap was averted as power supply had been shut.Punjab recorded 127% excess rainfall between 8.30am on May 2 and 8.30am on May 3, with weather remaining inclement through the day. The state received 1.4 mm rainfall against a normal of 0.6 mm. While most of the procured wheat remained safe, minor damage was reported in isolated pockets, though the exact extent is yet to be assessed.Several districts, including SAS Nagar, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Patiala, SBS Nagar and Ropar, reported over 100% excess rainfall. SAS Nagar recorded the highest deviation at 7.3 mm against a normal of 0.1 mm.The rain was accompanied by gusty winds and thundersqualls, with wind speeds reaching up to 76 kmph in Mohali and 46 kmph in Amritsar. In Hoshiarpur, strong winds uprooted trees and electricity poles, causing localised damage.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh till May 6, with chances of thundersqualls and isolated hailstorms on May 4 and 5.Maximum temperatures, which were hovering between 34°C and 38°C, are expected to drop by 3–5°C over the next few days.Rain, strong winds disrupt power in HaryanaRain accompanied by strong winds and dust storms lashed parts of Haryana on Sunday, disrupting power supply and uprooting trees. Ambala and Yamunanagar reported showers.