From correspondents in Delhi, India, 12:02 AM IST

A sudden heavy downpour accompanied by crackling thunder took Delhiites unawares Monday night.

The heavy spell of rain, that lasted about 40 minutes, was the first this winter.

Last week, the weather had been cloudy and it had drizzled a little.

'I got caught in the rain, it was raining so heavily,' said Kanika, a software professional, whose car got stuck in the traffic jam caused by the downpour.

'I don't think it has rained so heavily for the past few years at this time of the year,' said Vinod Singh, a vegetable vendor as he tried to pull some tarpaulin over his cart.

The heavy downpour gave way to a drizzle that continued for some time.

The maximum temperature in Delhi Monday was 28 degrees Celsius, while the minimum was 16.5 degrees.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)