Heavy rainfall in Delhi leads to traffic jams amid waterlogging, IMD predicts more

The national capital of Delhi woke up to heavy rain and thunderstorms on Friday morning, offering a welcome respite from the recent persistent humidity. However, the downpour also resulted in significant waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the city.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an advisory on X, stating that more rain is expected in Delhi and the NCR region over the next two hours. Areas likely to experience light to moderate rainfall include Narela, Alipur, Badli, Pitampura, Punjabi Bagh, Seelampur, Shahdara, Vivek Vihar, Red Fort, President House, Rajiv Chowk, ITO, India Gate, Lodi Road, RK Puram, Defence Colony, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, and IGNOU. Other regions in NCR, such as Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Ballabhgarh, are also expected to see rain. Nearby areas like Meham in Haryana and Saharanpur, Deoband, Muzaffarnagar, and Sadabad in Uttar Pradesh may experience light rainfall within the next two hours.

The heavy rains have caused severe waterlogging in several parts of Delhi, with areas such as Mother Teresa Crescent, Nyay Marg near Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah Moti Bagh Metro Station, Shanti Path, Bhikaji Cama Place, and Motibagh Ring Road being particularly affected. The Delhi Traffic Police have issued alerts urging commuters to plan their journeys accordingly and take alternative routes.

In central Delhi, Minto Road, notorious for flooding, was waterlogged early in the morning. However, it was later cleared and reopened for traffic, according to police updates on social media. Traffic on both carriageways of Rohtak Road was also disrupted due to sewer overflow and potholes in Mundka. Other affected areas include Seemapuri, Dilshad Garden, Patel Nagar, and Burari.

The IMD said that the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 34 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature recorded was 25.2 degrees Celsius, slightly below the season’s normal. The humidity at 5:30 am was 39 percent. The rain has provided much-needed relief from the humid weather.

The IMD has also indicated that the northern parts of India are likely to experience moderate rainfall throughout the week.

“Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms & lightning is very likely over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand; scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during the week,” the IMD stated.

The weather department also has issued a “yellow” alert till Saturday amid a forecast that rainfall is likely to continue in Delhi till July 28.

This weather event follows a record-breaking rainfall in June when Delhi received the highest recorded rainfall in 88 years. From 8:30 a.m. on June 27 to 8:30 a.m. on June 28, the city experienced 228 mm of rainfall. A total of 235.5 mm of rain was recorded in 24 hours, marking the highest rainfall in June since 1936.

Photos and videos of flooded streets and traffic congestion have been widely shared on social media, illustrating the challenges faced by commuters navigating the waterlogged roads.

The Delhi Traffic Police continue to monitor the situation and advise residents to stay informed about weather updates and road conditions.