Heavy rains lash Delhi, IMD issues red alert

New Delhi: Heavy rains lashed several parts of the national capital on Friday as dark clouds shrouded Delhi, prompting the weather office to issue a red alert warning of intense rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds later in the day.

People out for Janmashtami celebrations were caught in the sudden downpour, with rain-soaked roads, umbrellas dotting the streets and people rushing for shelter as the showers intensified.

Monthly rainfall over India most likely to be below normal in September: IMDAccording to the IMD's three-hourly rainfall data, Palam recorded 3.4 mm of rain between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm, while Najafgarh received 0.5 mm between 8.30 am and 11.30 am. Most other monitoring stations recorded no rainfall during these periods.