Hailstorm cools Bangalore, brings cheer

BANGALORE - A hailstorm accompanied by strong winds lashed Bangalore Wednesday evening, bringing much relief from the heat and cheering up Bangaloreans who were downcast at losing out on the Indian Premier League (IPL) semi-final to Navi Mumbai.

“This was expected and we had forecast possible thunderstorms Wednesday evening,” a spokesperson of the meteorological department said.

The skies turned cloudy around 4 p.m. and turned dark in an hour, forcing motorists to switch on the headlights.

Strong winds uprooted several trees across the city but there was no report of any injuries. The mercury, which was hovering around 35 degrees, plummetted by two to three degrees.

The hailstorm and the fall in temperature cheered the mood of the city residents who were low after the two IPL T20 semi-finals were moved to Navi Mumbai after the April 17 twin blasts at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium, which injured 16 people, and the recovery of two more bombs near the stadium April 18.

The first semi-final featuring local team Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians was scheduled for Wednesday evening at Chinnaswamy Stadium. The second semi-final between Deccan Chargers and Chennai Super Kings was to be played here Thursday.

“Looks like the match would have been washed out by the rain,” said N. Chand, a government official, whose office is less than a kilometre from the stadium.

The weather official told IANS that the city is likely to see thunderclouds Thursday evening too.