Pre-monsoon rain, frightening thunders lash Vizag

The weather in Vizag has taken a turn today as, accompanied by frightening thunders, pre-monsoon rain lashed Vizag post the midnight of 31 May, 2024 and several areas in the city were plunged into darkness due to power failure. People in the city had a harrowing experience for hours in the night, with no power supply for a long duration and sultry conditions continuing despite rain. In a rare occurrence, lightning and thunders continued for a long time, sending shivers down the spines of children.

The rain lasted for over an hour, bringing down the Mercury levels on 1 June. With high humidity levels in the city, the people of Vizag were awaiting monsoon showers, so that they could heave a sigh of relief. According to the India Meteorological Department, the southwest monsoon will advance into Andhra Pradesh before 5 June. The southwest monsoon has already set in Kerala, where the people have been experiencing heavy rains.

The midnight rain brought down temperatures, and it was comparatively cool on the morning of 1 June in the city. The storm has reportedly moved to Guntur, Godavari, and Krishna districts. According to Sai Kiran, a dedicated Vizag weather blogger, more than ten thousand thunderstrikes were recorded during the storm last night. Meanwhile, Sai Praneeth, another weatherman from Andhra Pradesh, reported online that Gajuwaka experienced 60 mm of rainfall. Meanwhile, the rainfall recorded was 57 mm in Bheemili, 50 mm in Gopalapatnam, 42 mm in Simhachalam, 41 mm in Pendurthi, 36 mm in Maharanipeta, 36 mm in Arilova, and 35 mm in Seethammadhara.

As the pre-monsoon rain may continue until the onset of the season, citizens of Vizag are advised to be vigilant of the weather starting today. They are advised to stay indoors, and avoid standing under trees, iron poles, or towers. Additionally, they are advised to avoid using electrical devices connected to electrical outlets, and be wary of contact with metal objects and running water.