Season's first rains in Punjab brings relief from heat

Several parts of Punjab, including Amritsar, received the season's first rainfall sending temperature down by several notches today.

The locals woke up to rains which started pouring heavily. People heaved a sigh of relief as the city was suffering from scorching heat for the past few days.

"After a long time, we have received the season's first rainfall. We are enjoying a lot. The temperature has gone down and I am having tea with my friend here at our club. We are feeling good," said a local resident, Neeraj Arora, adding, "We have found respite from the heat as it rained and we expect the weather to be same for the next 4-5 days."

The entire northern region is on the boil with temperature hovering around 40-45 degrees Celsius.

"It was very hot here. For the past 2-3 days, hot and dry wind was blowing and no one even wanted to step out in the torrid weather. Today, it rained and we have been out of our houses since morning," said another local resident, Manmeet Singh.

Weather department has maintained that monsoon forecast this year would be above normal, from 104 to 110 per cent, boosting hopes of better farm and economic growth after two consecutive years of drought which cut rural incomes and agricultural output.