Heavy rain brought relief from the humid weather in Delhi on Wednesday evening but also led to waterlogging, flight diversions, traffic chaos, power cuts in parts of the city and adjoining areas like Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram. The intense spell of rain also resulted in diversions of 10 flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) due to bad weather. The IMD also sounded a red alert for Delhi over the heavy rains.
According to IMD's Automatic Weather Station (AWS) network, the Pragati Maidan observatory in central Delhi recorded 112.5 mm of rainfall in one hour. An extreme amount of precipitation in a short period, specifically 100 mm of rainfall within an hour, is defined by the IMD as a "cloudburst".
There, however, was no official statement on the situation from weather officials.
All government and private schools in Delhi were also ordered shut for August 1 given the rain forecast.
Delhi witnessed 10 diversions between 1930 hours-2000 hours, due to bad weather, Delhi Airport officials cited by news agency PTI said. Meanwhile, some areas of Uttar Pradesh's Noida, neighbouring Delhi, experienced unusual waterlogging.
Clouds have converged over Delhi from all four sectors, the IMD said in a post on X at around 7:15 am, adding that widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated Intense to very intense spell is likely to take place over Delhi during next two hours.
Traffic Chaos In Delhi
Reports of severe waterlogging came in from some areas of Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. Delhi Lt Governor, in a post on X, said he cautioned officers to remain alert in light of the heavy downpour in Delhi.
"Apart from ensuring minimum inconvenience to people in general, they are advised to specifically address issues at sites prone to waterlogging, including coaching centres," he said in the post.
Multiple areas, including Lutyen's Delhi, Kashmere Gate and Rajinder Nagar, among others, were inundated following the heavy rain.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rainy weather is expected to continue till August 5 in Delhi.
A house collapsed in the Sabji Mandi area of north Delhi following heavy rain on Wednesday, a Delhi Fire Services official said. Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot, however, there were no reports of casualties at the time of last update in this report at 10:30 pm.
Rajinder Nagar Flooded Again
The last time Delhi received heavy rain was the day three UPSC aspirants died after the basement of their coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar - Rau's IAS Study Circle - got heavily flooded.
Rajinder Nagar was waterlogged again on Wednesday amid students' ongoing protest over the tragic deaths of three UPSC aspirants.
At least 30 basements of coaching centres in Rajinder Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Preet Vihar have been sealed since the tragedy took place, while notices have been issued to 200 other coaching centres in Delhi.
The Delhi government on Wednesday said it will bring a law to regulate coaching centres in the national capital. Cabinet minister Atishi, addressing a press conference, said the government will constitute a committee comprising government officials and students from different coaching hubs to frame the law.
Commuters Stuck For Hours In Traffic
Commuters were stuck in traffic for hours as rains lashed Delhi in the office-closing time when key stretches are usually packed under normal circumstances as well.
Apart from the areas mentioned in the report above, vehicular movement was also affected on the Outer Ring Road in the carriageway from Chirag Delhi towards Nehru Place due to waterlogging under the Savitri flyover, Delhi Traffic Police said in a post.
According to an advisory, due to waterlogging at the Chatta Rail Chowk, traffic movement was hit on Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg.
Traffic was being diverted from the Chatta Rail red light and Lothian Road. Commuters coming from NS Marg towards ISBT Kashmiri Gate can take Kodia Pul, Mori Gate Boulevard Road, the traffic police said.
Traffic was affected on NH-48 in the carriageway from Dhaula Kuan towards Gurugram due to heavy waterlogging, particularlu at GGR/Parade Road.
It also said that vehicular movement was affected on Mahatma Gandhi Marg due to waterlogging at Nigam Bodh Ghat. Traffic was being diverted from Chandgi Ram Akhara.
Police also mentioned alternative routes and diversions imposed for commuters to consider given the waterlogging and traffic snarls.
Visuals showed waterlogged streets at Connaught Place and in the Kamla Nagar area near Delhi University's North Campus.
