Chandigarh, May 26 -- Chandigarh managed to escape the fury of a major thunderstorm system that battered large parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on Saturday night, with only gusty winds and light rain recorded in the city.

While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for nearby areas like Rupnagar and Patiala, the system spared this region, heading towards the national capital instead.

Till 5.30 am on Sunday, Delhi recorded 81.4 mm rain, taking the total rainfall in the month to 186.2 mm, the highest in the city in May on record. Even Haryana's Karnal received 118 mm rain.

In contrast, Chandigarh recorded just 0.1 mm rain overnight and 0.2 mm during the day on Sunday. Winds in the city reached speeds up to 60...