New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS): Heavy rains lashed the national capital Friday morning, severely dislocating life, causing huge traffic snarls and dampening the festive spirit.

The national capital recorded 62.6 mm of rain till noon, an IMD official said.

"The rain started around 7 am. Till 8.30 am we recorded 26.2 mm rain and another 36.4 mm of rain has been recorded till around noon," the official said.

While office-goers had a tough time commuting, festive spirit was dampened with the Durga Puja and Ramlila pandals suffering losses due to the heavy downpour.

"We hope the rain will stop by evening so that Ram Lila can be staged. There will be problem of course because there are electric wires around," Arjun Kumar of the Lav-Kush Ramlila Committee said, adding: "But if the rain continues, we will have to stage the show indoors instead of in the open."

The Lav-Kush Ramlila Committee is one of the capital's oldest and states the Ramlila at the Red Fort ground.

"There is more problem for Ravan than for us. The cranes have been waiting since morning, Ravan is made of paper so we can not install it in the rain," Arjun Kumar said of the effigies of Ravan and his two associates that are burnt on Dussehra, which falls on Sunday.

Durga Puja Pandals also suffered due to the heavy rains.

"There was waterlogging in the pandal, but the main area around the idol is fine as the pandal is waterproof," said an organiser of the Durgostab in Greater Kailash.

"There were some hiccups due to rains, but puja is going on smoothly," said Viplab Majumbar of Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Society.

"But this is just a minor issue because it is our major festival and we have been preparing for it for a long time," he said.

Commoners suffered due to traffic jams.

"I left home at 8 a.m. and was stuck in traffic for last two hours," said Shweta, whose office is in Jasola and who lives in the Mandi House area. The journey normally takes about 45 minutes.

"It's a nightmare, traffic is not moving. Even friends who had to take Metro said reaching the station was very difficult," said Rashid, a resident of Noida, abutting Delhi.

Asked about the traffic situation, an officer of the Delhi traffic police said: "There are jams everywhere."

The minimum temperature early Friday was recorded at 21.5 degrees Celsius, average for this time of the year.

The humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 100 percent.

IMD has forecast a generally cloudy day with more rain ahead.

"The sky will remain partly cloudy, more rainfall is expected in the day," an IMD official said.

The maximum temperature during the day will be around 33 degrees Celsius.