Red Alert in Delhi as Heavy Rains Lash City; Waterlogging, Traffic Jams Snarl Commutes
Heavy monsoon rains lashed Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday morning, triggering a ‘red alert’ from the weather office and bringing back familiar scenes of severe waterlogging and massive traffic jams across the city. The downpour, which follows a wet Tuesday, has thrown daily life out of gear for commuters.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in northeast and southeast Delhi. The agency predicts that moderate rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and winds gusting up to 40 km/h, will continue over the entire Delhi-NCR region throughout the day.
Widespread waterlogging was reported from several key areas, leading to crippling traffic snarls. Commuters faced long delays on major arteries including in South Delhi, at the ITO intersection, and along the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road.
Heavy rain also battered the area around the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, though authorities reported that flight operations have not been disrupted so far.
The weather department has issued a stern advisory, warning of localised flooding, waterlogging in low-lying areas, and the potential closure of underpasses. The IMD also cautioned about possible minor damage to kutcha houses and walls.
Adding to the city’s woes, the water level in the Yamuna river is expected to rise. Water discharge from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana has breached the 50,000 cusecs mark for the first time this monsoon, which could lead to a spike in the river’s level in the capital in the coming days.
Before Wednesday’s deluge, Delhi had recorded 136.3 mm of rainfall in July, still short of the monthly average of 209.7 mm. The current spell is expected to help bridge that deficit significantly.
