Moderate rain causes heavy waterlogging

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 40mm of rainfall between 8.30pm on Saturday and 8.30pm on Sunday

The city received a spell of light to moderate rainfall on Sunday following which waterlogging was reported from several areas in the city. However, the rainfall brought a much-needed respite from the heat as temperatures have been rising over the past week.

Vehicles wade through a waterlogged stretch at Maharana Pratap Chowk near MDI institute on Sunday evening. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 40mm of rainfall between 8.30pm on Saturday and 8.30pm on Sunday, with heavy rain at isolated places and light to moderate rain at most places.

Even as the underpasses and major roads remained largely unaffected by the rain, waterlogging was reported from Sushant Lok, Iffco Chowk, Maharana Pratap Chowk, Narsinghpur, Signature Tower, sectors 9, 10, 45 and 46. Vehicular movement on roads was not affected due to low traffic on Sunday.

TL Sharma, the chief engineer of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), said, “Despite heavy rain on Sunday, major waterlogging was not reported from anywhere. We received a few complaints of waterlogging in Sector 9-10, which is a sensitive point and complaints from Sector 45-46. But mostly, the water cleared out on its own at most places in the city.”

Officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority also said that they did not receive any major complaints regarding waterlogging on Sunday.

On Sunday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 32.5 degrees Celsius (°C) and a minimum temperature of 24°C, with both recordings two degrees below normal, according to the IMD. However, the humidity remained high, with Gurugram recording 97%humidity on Sunday evening.

A weather warning bulletin issued by the IMD’s meteorological centre in Chandigarh had predicted heavy rain at isolated places in Gurugram on Sunday and the city was on a “yellow” alert. From Monday, the weather department predicted one or two spells of rain or thundershowers.

According to the weekly forecast of the IMD, one or two spells of rain or thundershowers are likely till August 10.

Meanwhile, the air quality in the city improved on Sunday to satisfactory category from moderate category recorded on Saturday. On Sunday, Gurugram reported an air quality index (AQI) of 94 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin. On Saturday, the city had reported an AQI of 111.

Over the next five days, air quality in Delhi-NCR is likely to remain largely in the moderate to the satisfactory category, according to the weather bulletin issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.