Jaipur, Feb 5: The pink city of Jaipur experienced its heaviest rainfall in a decade on Sunday, as the city received 102 mm of rain in 24 hours, breaking the previous record of 95 mm in 2014. The incessant downpour caused waterlogging, traffic jams, and disruption of normal life in several areas of the city.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Jaipur and other districts of Rajasthan, warning of more heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in the next 24 hours. The IMD has attributed the unusual rainfall to a western disturbance and a cyclonic circulation over northwest India.
According to the IMD, the western disturbance is likely to move away by Tuesday, but the cyclonic circulation will persist for another two days, bringing more showers to the state. The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms, hailstorms, and gusty winds at some places.
The rainfall has brought some relief to the farmers who were facing a drought-like situation in the state, but it has also posed a threat of crop damage due to waterlogging and hailstorms. The state government has asked the district authorities to assess the situation and provide relief to the affected farmers.
The rainfall has also affected the tourism industry in Jaipur, as many tourists had to cancel or postpone their plans due to the bad weather. The city’s famous monuments, such as Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, and Jantar Mantar, remained closed due to the rain. The authorities have advised the tourists to avoid visiting the low-lying areas and check the weather forecast before travelling.