Amid the incessant torrential rainfall continuing to cripple the national capital city Delhi, a 22-year-old woman and her toddler drowned in Ghazipur on Wednesday while two others sustained injuries in separate rain-related incidents. The streets are still inundated while key stretches are choked with unending traffic snarls.
The 22-year-old woman, identified as Tanuja, and her three-year-old son Priyansh stepped outside on Wednesday to buy household items from a weekly market when they accidentally slipped into a drain which was invisible due to waterlogging and drowned. The incident occurred near the Khoda Colony area, where the roadside drain was under construction.
Delhi added to 'areas of concern' list
Taking cognisance of the exacerbating conditions in the city, the weather office included Delhi in its list of "areas of concern" in the National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin.
Furthermore, the weather department also advised people to remain indoors, secure windows and doors, and refrain from unnecessary travel.
Delhi rains: All schools to remain closed today
In view of the incessant rainfall in the city leading to massive traffic snarls, waterlogging and several other rain-related inconveniences, Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Wednesday announced all schools in the city will remain closed today.
"In light of the very heavy rainfall this evening and the forecast of heavy rainfall tomorrow, all schools both government and private will remain closed on August 1st," she posted on 'X'.
Delhi rains: House collapsed, air traffic hit
On Wednesday, the torrential rainfall also caused a house collapse in north Delhi's Sabji Mandi area near Robin Cinema, injuring one person while In in southwest Delhi's Vasant Kunj, another woman was injured in a wall collapse.
The inclement weather due to heavy rains also affected the Air traffic as at least 10 flights scheduled to land at the Delhi airport were diverted including eight to Jaipur and two to Lucknow. Warnings of further disruptions have also been issued by the Airlines.
Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar, where students were protesting the death of three civil service aspirants due to flooding in a coaching institute basement, went under knee-deep water. In Connaught Place, water gushed into many showrooms and restaurants. Rainwater also gushed into the Press Club of India, where people were seen sitting in knee-deep water.
According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), they have received several complaints about waterlogging, fallen trees and power cuts across the city.
Delhi rains: Traffic snarls across the city
The traffic situation was widely affected in several parts of the national capital region including Lutyens' Delhi and those leading to Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.
Widespread waterlogging prompted the traffic police to issue an advisory, asking commuters to avoid certain roads. According to the advisory, the commuters were asked to avoid the carriageway from Moolchand towards Chirag Delhi, both carriageways on Anuvrat Marg, Outer Ring Road, Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg and Mahatma Gandhi Marg among other key roads.
The traffic police also suggested alternative routes and highlighted diversions imposed for commuters to consider given the waterlogging. Multiple areas, including in Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh and Pragati Maidan, were marooned following the heavy downpour.
