'Highest in 19 years': Heavy rainfall in Delhi makes new September record

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rains in the parts of the National Capital Region.

Heavy rainfall in Delhi continued for the second day on Wednesday, leading to severe waterlogging in many parts of the national capital. Delhi received 112.1mm rainfall between 8.30am on Tuesday and 8.30am on Wednesday, according to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) rainfall data.

Commuters wade through a waterlogged stretch at National Highway 24, near Vinod Nagar, in East Delhi, India, on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. (Ajay Aggarwal /HT PHOTO)

RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at the IMD, said that Delhi has already witnessed two to three spells of heavy rains since Tuesday, particularly in Safdarjung and Lodhi road areas. Jenamani told news agency ANI that Delhi on Wednesday witnessed the highest rainfall in a day in September in the last 19 years.

“There has been heavy rainfall in Delhi. It started yesterday and we already have 2-3 spells. It was around 11.2 cm rain, particularly in Safdarjung & Lodhi road area. In 19 years, it is the highest rain in September,” ANI quoted Jenamani as saying.

In pics: Delhi receives highest rain in September in 19 years, waterlogging in several parts

India’s weather forecasting agency has predicted thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rains in the parts of the National Capital Region. "Thunderstorm with moderate to heavy intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of most places of Delhi (Lodi road, IGI airport ), NCR ( Gurugram, Manesar, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Indirapuram, Loni Dehat, Hindon AF, Ghaziabad )...during next 2 hours," IMD posted on Twitter.

Jenamani said that it is the fifth-highest rainfall in 24 hours in Delhi as the national capital received about 19-20 cm of rain. “Surely, it is a record rainfall. We've issued an orange alert for today,” he added.

Heavy rains and waterlogging prompted Delhi traffic police to issue an advisory against traffic obstruction at the Azad Market Subway going towards Pratap Nagar. “Traffic has been diverted from Connaught Place to Barakhamba while traffic coming from Kamla Market has been diverted to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg,” the Delhi traffic police tweeted.

(with agency inputs)