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हिन्दी 
NOIDA: After days of intense heat and dry westerly winds, residents of Gautam Budh Nagar witnessed heavy rain, accompanied by hailstorm in several parts of the district, leaving at two people injured in separate incidents and also bringing traffic in Noida literally to a standstill at various locations in the city.
A 44-year-old man was injured in Sector 45 of Noida after an under-construction wall collapsed following a thunderstorm. Police said the incident took place near Khajur Colony.
A police team rushed to the spot and rescued the injured. “The man has been identified as Rahat, 44, a resident of Khajur colony in street number 45 in Sector 45. Around 8pm, when he was at the terrace of his house, an under construction wall of the three-storey building collapsed, and he sustained injuries on head. He has been referred by local hospital to a Delhi hospital,” said an officer, requesting anonymity.
In a separate incident, a biker sustained injuries after a pole fell upon him in Sector 20.
Meanwhile, thunderstorm accompanied by rain and hail also brought traffic in Noida to a standstill at various locations of the city, officials said, adding that a large hoarding installed to welcome commuters to Greater Noida collapsed near Sector 142, partially blocking the expressway and causing a major traffic snarl toward Greater Noida. Similarly, another hoarding collapsed in Greater Noida.
DCP (traffic) Lakhan Singh Yadav said that traffic personnel are deployed at multiple locations to manage the situation. “The fallen hoarding has restricted traffic on part of the road. We are using cranes and hydraulic machines to clear the structure. We have also diverted the traffic to avoid congestion,” he said in late evening.
The storm also uprooted a fully grown tree near the China Cut in Sector 18, further disrupting traffic in the area.
As rainfall intensified, several two-wheeler riders sought refuge under the Mahamaya and Film City flyovers, narrowing the carriageway and worsening congestion on the expressway.
However, traffic police personnel were deployed promptly at all affected spots to manage flow and ensure commuter safety.
By 10.30pm, the Noida Traffic Police shared video updates from key locations, including the DND Flyway, Film City, Fortis Hospital (Sector 62), Sector 52 Metro Station, and Sector 18, announcing that normal traffic flow had resumed in most areas.
While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted light rainfall and thunderstorms around May 25 and 26, weather activity picked up sooner than expected, with dark clouds gathering over the city by late evening.
Earlier in the day, the weather had remained hot and humid, with the minimum temperature recorded at 29.1°C and the maximum at 39°C. Relative humidity stood at 66%, and 0.5 mm of rainfall was recorded in the previous 24 hours. However, the evening’s sudden downpour brought immediate relief, with the mercury expected to dip further in the coming hours.
“The temperature is not expected to dip drastically, but isolated thunderstorms and weather activity in northern Punjab, Haryana, and the hilly regions will have a cascading effect. Noida and surrounding areas could continue to see sporadic showers and gusty winds over the next 48 to 72 hours,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather, earlier in the day.
“Westerly winds at 10–15 km per hour are currently active but changing wind patterns are likely to assist in this temporary relief,” he added.
Earlier in the evening, residents, many of whom had been coping with searing temperatures and persistent power cuts, welcomed the shift in weather.
“We’ve been struggling to sleep through the nights due to outages and humidity. This rain feels like a blessing,” said Mihir Gautam, a resident of Ecovillage 1.
“Even a short spell of rain clears the air, cools down the roads, and makes evenings livable again,” echoed Ashutosh Sharma from Sector 46.
But for some, power disruptions remain a concern.
“We have been facing night-long power cuts in Sector 121 for a week now, from 11 pm to 5 am. The situation hasn’t improved despite several complaints,” said Shubh Agarwal.
In Sector 168, Chetan Chauhan said the erratic supply is damaging electronic appliances “Frequent outages are unacceptable in this heat,” added Praveen Chaudhary from Sector 74.
Sanjay Jain, chief engineer of PVVNL Noida, said measures were underway to address the issue
“We are upgrading the capacity of the existing transformer in Barola and a new feeder line is nearing completion. Additional improvements are being made at Bishnuli and other substations to enhance load management and reduce frequency of power cuts.”
Meanwhile, district authorities have urged residents to stay indoors during thunderstorms and remain alert during lightning warnings. Routine advisories continue to be issued for both heatwave preparedness and rain-related precautions.
As Gautam Budh Nagar enters a short window of meteorological relief, both the skies and the residents appear momentarily at ease, even if only until summer regains control.
