E-Paper
Delhi-NCR chokes in heavy rain: Massive jams, waterlogged roads hit commuters
The weather department issued an orange alert for Delhi on Wednesday, cautioning people about more rain during the day.
Delhi residents woke up to intense showers on Wednesday morning as parts of the national capital and the NCR region received heavy rainfall.
This comes after a short but intense rain spell on Tuesday that caused waterlogging in several parts of the national Capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted light to moderate rain for Wednesday, too.
In the morning, the weather department issued an orange alert for the region, cautioning people about more rain to come during the day.
Wednesday morning's rain added to the traffic snarls and waterlogging that have become a hallmark of the city during the monsoon season. Visuals showed showers lashing different parts of Delhi as residents got ready to get to work.
Rain also battered different parts of the National Capital Region (NCR). Visuals showed scenes in Noida on Wednesday morning.
Heavy rain cripples Mumbai too
Mumbai and nearby regions continue to experience heavy rainfall as the monsoon season intensifies. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for several districts in Maharashtra for Wednesday.
According to the IMD, the alert applies to Raigad, Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Palghar. In response to severe waterlogging caused by the downpour, the Mumbai Traffic Police have closed the Andheri Subway.
Delhi rain on Tuesday and its effects
The waterlogged streets of Delhi on Tuesday morning caused traffic jams in areas such as Press Enclave Road and both carriageways of Anuvrat Marg near Qutub Minar metro station until noon.
According to IMD data, Safdarjung, Delhi’s weather base station, recorded 8.8mm of rainfall between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM on Tuesday, while Ridge in north Delhi recorded 22.4mm during the same period. This was followed by 22.2mm at Rajghat, 14.2mm at Lodhi Road, 11mm in Najafgarh, 13.5mm in Pusa, 1.5mm in Ayanagar, and 0.5mm in Palam.
So far this month, Delhi has logged 136.3mm rainfall. The city normally sees 209.7mm in July. Last year, 203.7mm was logged and 384.6mm was seen in 2023. Delhi has mostly seen light to moderate rain this month, with no heavy rainfall spells so far.
The IMD classifies rainfall as “light” when it is up to 15.5mm; “moderate” when it is between 15.6 to 64.4mm and “heavy” when it is over 64.4mm in a 24-hour window.
