LUCKNOW, Sept. 18 -- A sudden spell of rain accompanied by thunder on Wednesday unsettled Lucknowites, keeping many indoors and bringing back memories of September 2023, when thunder and lightning had shocked residents in a similar way. While waterlogging and traffic jams were expected, it was the thunder that became the main talking point, both on social media and in neighbourhood discussions.

The timing added to the concern, as schools closed around 2 pm when the rain peaked, leaving anxious parents waiting for their children and youngsters frightened by the noisy skies overhead. Vineet Kumar Gupta, a shopkeeper from Shri Ram Road, said, "Both my sons were at school, in Gomti Nagar. My wife and I prayed for their safe return along with...