Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi informed that all schools - government and private - will remain closed in the city on Thursday, August 1, in view of the heavy rains which led to severe waterlogging on Wednesday.
"In light of very heavy rainfall today evening and forecast of heavy rainfall tomorrow, all schools - government and private - will remain closed tomorrow," Atishi said in a post on microblogging platform X late night on Wednesday.
Heavy rainfall brought Delhi to a standstill on Wednesday evening, with waterlogging in large parts of the city and its adjoining areas of Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Noida, choking key stretches with unending traffic and leaving people stranded as roads turned into rivers.
Rajinder Nagar, where three UPSC students died in a flooded basement of a coaching centre last Saturday, was among the areas which saw waterlogging on Wednesday.
The torrential downpour prompted the weather office to issue its highest 'red' warning. The National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin also included Delhi in its list of "areas of concern", it said. The weather office advised people to remain indoors, secure windows and doors, and refrain from unnecessary travel.
At least 10 flights scheduled to land at the Delhi airport were diverted -- eight to Jaipur and two to Lucknow -- due to inclement weather conditions. Airlines also warned of the possibility of more flight disruptions.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city's primary weather station Safdarjung recorded 79.2 mm of downpour between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm; Mayur Vihar 119 mm; Delhi University 77.5 mm; Pusa 66.5 mm; and the Palam observatory 43.7 mm.
The heavy downpour also led to a house collapse in north Delhi's Sabji Mandi area. While details of it were still awaited, the Delhi Fire Services said the house was located close to the Ghanta Ghar near Robin Cinema.
