On Wednesday evening, Delhi experienced extremely intense rainfall that caused widespread chaos. The Mayur Vihar weather station recorded 119mm of rain between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Notably, 89.5mm of this rain fell within just one hour, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Although this heavy downpour was significant, it did not quite meet the threshold for being classified as a “cloudburst.”
Impact on the City
The sudden downpour led to severe waterlogging throughout the city, disrupting traffic and catching many commuters off guard. Roads in various parts of Delhi and surrounding areas, including Gurugram and Noida, were flooded. This heavy rainfall reminded residents of a previous incident on June 28, when the city experienced over 200mm of rain in 24 hours, resulting in 11 deaths.
Tragic Incidents and Casualties
Tragically, at least two people, a woman and a child, were reported to have drowned after falling into a drain in Mayur Vihar Phase-3. However, police officials were not certain whether the incident occurred on the Delhi side or the Ghaziabad side. At the time of reporting, this information could not be independently verified. Additionally, a house collapsed in the Sabji Mandi area of north Delhi due to the rain, but it was unclear whether there were any casualties.
In another incident, streets in Rajendra Nagar, where three students had previously drowned in a flooded basement, were again heavily inundated.
Air Traffic Disruptions
The heavy rain and adverse weather conditions also affected air travel. At Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, at least ten flights were diverted to nearby airports, with eight flights going to Jaipur and two to Lucknow. Many other flights were delayed, causing inconvenience to travelers.
Government Response
In response to the weather conditions, the Delhi government announced a holiday for all government and private schools in the Capital on Thursday. This decision was made due to the forecast of continued heavy rainfall.
Weather Forecast
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the rain was caused by the monsoon trough reaching Delhi-NCR. The IMD explained that the monsoon trough had been south of its normal position until Tuesday. On Wednesday, it moved closer to Delhi-NCR, causing the heavy rain. The IMD issued a “yellow alert” for Thursday and Friday, predicting light to moderate rainfall before the intensity of the rain decreases as the trough moves away from the region.
A Day of Two Halves
Interestingly, no rainfall was recorded in any Delhi weather station until 5:30 PM on Wednesday. The rain began around 6:00 PM and intensified after 7:00 PM, prompting the IMD to issue a red alert until 9:00 PM.
This unexpected and intense rainfall has once again highlighted the need for better drainage and infrastructure in Delhi to manage such situations effectively.
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