Summer rain brings relief amid sweltering heat but disrupts normal life in parts of the city

Torrential rain, accompanied by lightning, led to waterlogging in various areas across the city

A heavy downpour hit several parts of the State capital on Tuesday evening, providing much-needed relief from the sweltering summer heat. The rain, which followed a prolonged period of oppressive heat, significantly lowered the mercury levels.

However, the torrential rain, accompanied by lightning, led to waterlogging in various areas across the city. Along the National Highway-66 bypass, stretches of the service roads and junctions, including Chacka, were inundated, causing vehicles to struggle through the rising floodwaters, which resulted in significant traffic jams.

The situation was similar in other parts of the city such as Vanchiyoor, where both the District Court premises and the Vanchiyoor Police Station were waterlogged. In such areas, one side of the road was completely flooded, forcing motorists to navigate on the remaining open lane. The water levels rose so high that medians were submerged, posing great risk to motorists. Some two-wheelers were feared to be damaged as rainwater entered their engines. The clogged drains impeded the quick drainage of the floodwaters, further exacerbating the situation.

The heavy rain also caused disruptions to air travel. An Air India Express flight from Bengaluru was diverted to Kochi, while an Air India flight from Mumbai was rerouted to Coimbatore. Both flights later arrived in Thiruvananthapuram after the rain subsided.

In spite of the heavy rain, ASHAs and Anganwadi workers continued their protests outside the Secretariat. Political leaders from opposition parties visited the site to check on the protesters’ well-being.