While pre-monsoon showers in the some parts of North India on Monday brought down the temperature, which had soared to around 50 degrees Celsius in some areas, the rains also brought death and destruction.

Delhi-ites woke up to a pleasant, rainy Monday, and expressed their delight with tweets about drinking tea and eating hot paranthas while it poured outside. However, the joy soon turned into anxiety as people had to deal with traffic snarls and waterlogged roads in some areas to reach work.

But the change in weather also resulted in the loss of lives and property. According to reports, around 12 people died across Uttar Pradesh following storms, lightning and heavy rains. Strong winds caused damage in various parts of Delhi, with reports about structures collapsing and uprooted trees blocking streets. A wall of the Chandni Chowk post office collapsed, damaging several parked cars. Passengers were stranded at the airport after several flights were diverted from Delhi.


In the last few days, landslides caused by heavy rains that were triggered by a series of cloudbursts have resulted in at least six casualties in the Tehri and Uttarkashi districts of Uttarakhand region, apart from damaging a large number of houses. The India Meteorological Department on Monday issued a heavy rain alert in six hill districts of Uttarakhand – Champavat, Almora, Nainital, Tehri, Pauri and Dehradun. According to the department's director Vikram Singh, thundersquall and hail are also likely in a few areas, while places located 3,500m above sea level may receive light snowfall.