Nagpur/Akola: It rained cats and dogs, and the 66mm rainfall recorded in Akola in just two hours on Wednesday night smashed an 82-year-old record for the district in the month of May.

The district had recorded its heaviest rainfall of 44.7mm in a day on May 28, 1943.The rain, followed by thick clouds, also drastically impacted maximum temperatures in the peak summer season, with Vidarbha districts recording a fall of 7.7 degrees Celsius to 12.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Yavatmal recorded May's lowest maximum temperature of 28.6 degrees Celsius, a departure of 12 notches. This came close to its 45-year-old record of 27.5 degrees Celsius recorded in Yavatmal on May 14, 1979.

In Nagpur, weather was pleasant as clouds kept the summer heat in check all day.Besides Akola, Buldhana recorded 47.2mm, Washim 38mm, Amravati 40mm, Nagpur 29.9mm, Wardha 21mm, and Bhandara 20mm. Other districts reported below 20mm of rainfall. With a staggering 66mm of rain recorded in just two hours, Akola was the worst hit, said Indian meteorological department (IMD). The rainstorm, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and gusty winds, severely impacted both urban and rural areas in the district.

Starting around 8pm, rain continued well into the night, flooding low-lying areas and throwing normal life into disarray.The torrential rain caused widespread flooding in key city areas. On Dabki Road, rubble from ongoing construction projects blocked drainage lines, causing rainwater to flood homes. Even the parking lot of Kothari Market was submerged. Akola's only flyover also failed to withstand the sudden rains as already damaged pipelines burst and water poured in torrents from above, leaving the roads beneath flooded.Several areas, including Old City, Gaurakshan Road, Ramdaspeth and Jatharpeth plunged into darkness for hours due to power cuts triggered by the storm. Students returning from classes were caught off guard, forcing them to seek shelter under shop canopies and in alleys. Many residents reported being stranded in flooded lanes as water level rose quickly.Rural parts of the district, including Akot, Patur, Murtijapur, Balapur, Barshitakli, Deori, and Borgao Manzur were battered by strong winds and rain.

In Patur taluka, fallen trees and snapped electric poles disrupted both power supply and mobile networks. Deori village remained without electricity for over two hours as heavy rain and darkness engulfed the area. Shoppers in village markets found themselves stuck inside stores, unable to leave due to flooding.Over 900 hectares of farmland — mainly with crops like onions, watermelons, moong, peanuts, and vegetables — were severely affected.

Farmers in Barshitakli and Balapur reported that strong winds knocked down large quantities of mangoes from trees. With fields still submerged, further losses are expected in the coming days.The IMD has issued a three-day weather alert for Akola district, forecasting rain, lightning, and strong winds on May 23, 26, and 27. Partly cloudy skies are likely to persist through the week. The recent rain has also brought a slight drop in temperatures: Monday recorded 39.8°C, Tuesday 40.7°C, and Wednesday 37.3°C.---Fresh spell of troubleEarlier this year, the district had witnessed rabi crop losses worth Rs22.73 crore. The fresh spell of rain is now estimated to have added at least Rs2.39 crore in new damages, as per preliminary assessments. Farmers and local leaders are demanding immediate field surveys and relief disbursals by the administration.---Lack of preparednessWednesday's downpour has once again exposed the civic body's lack of preparedness. No prior alerts were issued, and essential pre-monsoon tasks such as drain cleaning and infrastructure checks were clearly neglected. With farmers and residents reeling under repeated climate shocks, urgent administrative action is imperative to prevent further chaos.