1 dead after heavy rains in Delhi; waterlogging, traffic jams reported in several areas

Thunderstorm with rain occurred in many places of Delhi and over and adjoining areas of Adampur, Hissar, Hansi, Jind, Gohana, Gannaur, Barut, Rohtak, Sonipat, Bagpat, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, IMD said.

The body of a 60-year-old man was found under a flooded bridge in central Delhi on Sunday morning after heavy rains lashed the national capital and surrounding areas.

IMD has predicted thunderstorm with rain in the national capital and neighbouring areas till Tuesday.(ANI)

Police to believe he drowned while trying to manoeuvre his vehicle through the waterlogged underpass.

Rajender Dubey, the assistant commissioner of police (Barakhamba Road), said the body was found around 10am.

“The man, Kundan, was driving his Tata Ace tempo from New Delhi railway station towards Connaught Place when he possibly drowned,” Dubey said.

The body was found in the water close to a spot where a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus was submerged in the waterlogged underpass.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded 74.8mm rainfall till 8:30am.

It added that Ridge, Lodhi Road, Palam and Ayanagar weather stations recorded 86 mm, 81.2mm, 16.9mm and 12.2mm rainfall, respectively.

Rainfall below 15mm is considered light, between 15mm and 64.5mm moderate, and above 64.5mm heavy.

The department has predicted thunderstorm with rain in the national capital and neighbouring areas till Tuesday.

Waterlogging in low-lying areas and traffic snarls were reported from many keys areas of Delhi after the Capital received its first spell of heavy rains in the morning.

Delhi Traffic Police said waterlogging was reported at Azadpur Underpass, South Avenue Road, Pul Prahladpur Underpass, Paharganj side of the New Delhi railway station, Moolchand Underpass and near Batra Hospital, among others.

The traffic police also issued an advisory asking bus and auto-rickshaw drivers to avoid wading through submerged roads as manholes could have been swept away or ditches could have flared up.

The DTC bus got stuck while it was passing through a waterlogged bridge on Minto Road in central Delhi, which was flooded due to the heavy rains. The bus’ driver and conductor were rescued by the fire department later.

Residents shared videos and pictures of rainwater gushing into their houses and vehicles navigating waterlogged roads on social media.

The rains also led to power outages in some areas.

The weather bureau had predicted isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of northwest India. It had said the “entire monsoon trough is most likely to shift northwards, closer to the foothills of the Himalayas during July 19-20”.

According to IMD, Delhi has recorded 47.9mm rainfall so far in July, which is 56% less than the normal of 109.4mm.

Monsoon reached Delhi on June 25, two days earlier than its usual date, but despite the early arrival rains had remained subdued so far.

Weather forecasting agencies have said Delhi and its adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana are likely to experience continuous rainfall typical of the rainy season from Sunday as the monsoon trough is likely to shift to its normal position.

The northern plains have received only patchy rains since the beginning of July as the axis of the monsoon trough had been oscillating north and south frequently (towards and away from the Himalayan foothills), private Skymet Weather said.

It said the trough will move north and stabilise for the next three to four days and that a significant increase in rainfall in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab can be expected from July 19 to July 21.

IMD has predicted normal rainfall in the national capital during the season.

(With agency inputs)