Varanasi: The weather in Varanasi witnessed a significant change early Friday morning as heavy rains and strong dust storms brought much-needed relief from the intense heat prevailing over the past few days.According to the India Meteorological Department(IMD), the maximum temperature recorded on Friday was 33.2 degree Celsius, 7.2 degree below the normal while the minimum temperature was recorded at 21.4 degree Celsius, 5 degree below the normal. After rains, the mercury came down by 4.6 degree Celsius as the city recorded 37.8 degree Celsius on May 28.Amid the pleasant weather, people thronged to the Ganga ghats with their families, and crowds began gathering at Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Namo Ghat and Rajghat. The cool breeze at the ghats came as a blessing for the tourists who had endured intense heatwave for the past 10 days.According to IMD, people are expected to get relief from the scorching heat for the next two or three days.However, the severe storm with strong winds and heavy rain wreaked havoc across several areas of the city. More than half a dozen trees were uprooted at various locations, including the Cantonment area, disrupting traffic on multiple routes. However, no casualties were reported.A massive tree was uprooted near Lal Church in the Cantonment during the storm. A tempo traveller parked nearby was damaged, and the church wall also sustained damage.Similarly, a large neem tree fell on the Mint House Station road, disrupting traffic. A tree fall was also reported near 39 GTC Gate No. 6. A large tree fell near Banakti Hanuman Mandir, bringing down an adjacent wall as well. According to local residents, the fallen tree is obstructing the movement of vehicles on the lane.In the Harhua area, a neem tree fell on the ‘Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg’ due to the strong winds and rain completely blocking the route . Due to ‘Adhik Maas’, the number of devotees on the Panchkoshi Yatra in Varanasi has increased during this period.With the route blocked at dawn, devotees and passersby faced difficulty. Local residents attempted to clear the path by cutting the tree’s branches even in the rain. The administration swung into action after receiving information from different parts of the city and restored the obstructed routes in a short period of time.
