Thunderstorms bring respite from heat in Hyderabad, IMD says more in store

Heavy thundershowers that lashed Hyderabad on Thursday evening brought respite to several citizens from the sweltering heat that the city was facing.  However, the rain and lightning resulted in power cuts across the city and massive traffic jams.  According to reports, Patancheru received the most intense thundershowers, recording 5.3 cm in just one hour, followed by Amberpet, which recorded 2.1 cm during that same period."In the past few days, the maximum temperature touched 42.5 degree Celsius. The warm, moist air rises and cools, eventually condensing into rain bearing clouds," Raja Rao, meteorologist at Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Hyderabad told a media outlet. Traffic jams were reported at various stretches from Nagarjuna Circle, Panjagutta, Ameerpet, Paradise, Erragadda, Ameerpet, Tolichowki, Shaikpet and many parts of Hyderabad's old city area. Many residents also took to social media to talk about the rains. Rain..Rain..Go Away Come again another Day#hyderabadrains pic.twitter.com/wYqnrzKOFL — Faizan (@sumran5ZAN) May 31, 2018 It's raining heavily at Madhapur #hyderabadrains @SkymetWeather @GHMCOnline @HydConnect @HYDTP pic.twitter.com/ohmFog0hLO— pawanc16 (@pawanchitta) May 31, 2018 Telangana: Heavy rain lashes parts of Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/hoJiShGyYt — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2018 One big rain and Hyderabad just collapses — Niv (@NRoddam) May 31, 2018 Condition of Financial district after one hour of first rain of season @KTRTRS @bonthurammohan @GHMCOnline @CommissionrGHMC #rain #hyderabadrain pic.twitter.com/Yqmb4hr2MY — akhilesh (@akkhilesh_dubey) May 31, 2018 Meanwhile, the IMD said that thundershowers were expected to continue over the next few days and issued a two-day warning.  Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds are likely to occur at isolated places in Karimnagar, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Medak, Siddipet, Warangal (Urban and Rural) Jangaon, Yadadri –Bhuvanagiri, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam and several other districts. Taking note of the strong winds and heavy rain, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) also stepped in. GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy issued an order to all project engineers asking them to be alert and to ensure safety arrangements wherever necessary. Lightning strikes and who is more vulnerable When lightning strikes the ground or an object on the ground, the discharge occurs in and along the ground surface (not deep into the ground). This creates a dangerous and potentially deadly ground current near the lightning strike. A lightning strike depends on many factors. Some places are more vulnerable to strikes than others due to the speed of the storm. Lightning need not always strike the highest given point in any area. According to experts, anyone standing on a high ground, in an open space, near water or near large metallic structures or trees are more vulnerable to lightning strikes. In 2006 (BBC News and British Medical Journal ), the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a statement, saying lightning is not attracted to people carrying mobile phones. “Cell phones, small metal items, jewellery, etc., do not attract lightning. Nothing attracts lightning. Lightning tends to strike taller objects,” said John Jensenius, a NOAA National Weather Service lightning expert. “People are struck because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. The wrong place is anywhere outside. The wrong time is anytime a thunderstorm is nearby.”   Read: Thousands of lightning strikes in 24 hours: Disaster dept alerts AP govt over thunderstorms