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Rain updates: Delhi officers' off cancelled as city breaks 41-year record; flood-like scene in Gurugram
Delhi experienced the highest single-day rainfall since 1982, recording 153 mm of rain in 24 hours. Gurugram also witnessed heavy waterlogging.
Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in 24 hours ending 8:30 on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department said, forcing chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to cancel the leave of all government officers and instructing them to inspect the severe waterlogging problem across the city.
"Delhi received 126 mm of rain yesterday. 15% of the total rainfall of the monsoon season fell in just 12 hours. People were very upset due to water logging. Today all the ministers and mayor of Delhi will inspect the problem areas. Officers of all departments have been instructed to cancel the Sunday holiday and get on the ground," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
Scenes are no different in Gurugram, heavy waterlogging was seen across the city, forcing residents to remain indoors.
Top updates on Delhi, Gurugram rain
1. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded 153 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending 8:30am on Sunday, the highest since the 24-hour rainfall of 169.9 mm on July 25, 1982, a senior IMD official told news agency PTI. It was the third-highest single-day rainfall for July since 1958.
2. The Met Office has issued a yellow alert, warning of moderate rain which could cause more problems to the residents of Delhi.
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3. The weather stations at Ridge, Lodhi Road and Delhi University recorded 134.5 mm, 123.4 mm, and 118 mm of precipitation, respectively.
4. The heavy rain submerged parks, underpasses, markets and even hospital premises, and caused chaos on the roads. Pictures and videos of commuters wading through knee-deep water flooded social media platforms, raising concerns about the efficiency of the city's drainage infrastructure.
5. A newly built wall of a school collapsed due to continuous rainfall in Delhi's Sriniwaspuri area on Saturday. “At least 5-6 bikes are buried under the debris. Authorities are not paying heed to us,” alleged a resident.
6. Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials said two people got injured after a house collapsed in Delhi's Zakhira area due to heavy rain. They also said three fire tenders rushed to the spot as soon as the DFS received the information about the incident.
7. In Gurugram, rainwater entered low-lying houses in DLF phases 1 and 3, Sector 4, 5, Palam Vihar, Sector 22, Sector 10A, Sector 9, Sector 48 and Suncity Township in the morning. According to data from the district administration, Gurugram received 71 mm rainfall till 8 am.
8. Owing to the downpour, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has closed all underpasses and subways for non-motorised transport (NMT), and pedestrians for public use till the rains last. A pedestrian underpass at Rajiv Chowk had witnessed heavy water logging which was yet to be cleared.
9. Gurugram Deputy commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav said he has received complaints of waterlogging from across the city and he has called the civic agencies team to visit the affected spots along with him to take stock of the situation.
10. Commuters travelling on Delhi-Gurugram Expressway faced a tough time to cross the stretch from Narsingpur as the main carriageway and service lanes were submerged in water. The situation was equally bad at Subash Chowk, Sohna Road, Mehrauli-Gurgaon (MG) Road, Udyog Vihar, Rajiv Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, CH Bakhtawar Singh Road, Jharsa Chowk, Bakhtawar Chowk the worst-affected.
