NEW DELHI: The rain god smiled on the national capital Saturday, bringing some respite to millions of people after almost a week of sweltering heat and oppressing humidity.

The capital received moderate rainfall in the evening that also saw the mercury dropping by almost six degrees.

"Delhi received 9.2 mm of rains within one hour of rainfall," an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Before the rain started at around 5 p.m., the temperature was 34.2 degrees Celsius and after the rainfall, it plummeted to 28 degrees," the official said.

The city Saturday recorded a maximum of 35.2 degrees and a minimum 29.7 degrees, three degrees above normal.

On June 28, the IMD announced the formal arrival of monsoon in the city but there was very little rain since then.