Rain lashes various parts of Northern India

Giving much-needed respite from the sweltering heat, rain lashed various parts of Northern India including the national capital, bringing down the soaring temperature.

Fresh rainfall was received in various parts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Monday. The India Meteorological Department has forecast rainfall in the coming days.

After the rainfall, the maximum temperature fell by 5.1 degrees or less at many places over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Rajasthan, while minimum temperature plummets by 3.1 to 5.0 degrees, said IMD.

Director of IMD Himachal Pradesh Manmohan Singh said, "Thundershower and hailstorm will hit the region in the next two days."

He said this year the monsoon would be nearly by five to six days late in Himachal Pradesh. The actual date of monsoon arrival in the region is June 26 but it would be late this year.

Meanwhile, heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Rajasthan, Andaman and Nicobar, Chhattisgarh and few other parts of the country today, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday.