Heavy rain battered Delhi-NCR on Wednesday evening, as most parts of the city were left waterlogged, and traffic movement was severely affected, with citizens left stranded for hours. Five people died as a result of the downpour, two in Delhi and three in Gurugram.
A woman and her child drowned in Delhi after slipping into a waterlogged drain. In Gurugram, three died due to electrocution after coming in contact with high tension wire after heavy rain.
As many as 10 flights, which were supposed to land at the Delhi airport, were diverted due to the torrential downpour. Eight of these flights were diverted to Jaipur and two were to Lucknow. According to the latest update by IndiGo, flight operations remain affected.
"We want to keep you informed that our departures and arrivals are still experiencing delays, which may continue through the morning. We understand that waiting through the night can be bothersome and inconvenient, and we sincerely regret the discomfort this may cause," the airline said on X.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced that schools in the national capital will be closed on Thursday amid the incessant rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), meanwhile, has forecast no relief from the rain chaos, issuing a red alert. According to its latest bulletin, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning will continue in Delhi till August 5.
The national capital's primary weather station, Safdarjung, recorded 79.2 mm of rainfall between 5.30 pm and 8.30 pm. Other areas such as Mayur Vihar recorded 119 mm of rain, Pusa 66.5 mm, Delhi University 77.5 mm, and the Palam observatory 43.7 mm.
Delhi's maximum temperature was recorded at 37.8 degrees Celsius during the day.
MOTHER, SON DROWN
According to the police, Tanuja, 22, and her three-year-old son were out to buy household items from a weekly market when they fell into a waterlogged drain and drowned. The incident happened in the Ghazipur area in east Delhi.
The police said that the roadside drain was under construction, and was 15 feet deep with a width of six feet. The bodies of the mother and son were recovered, and further legal action will be taken, the police added.
HOUSE, SCHOOL WALL COLLAPSE
The incessant rainfall also led to a house collapse in north Delhi's Sabzi Mandi area, in which one person was injured. Five fire engines, deployed to the spot, faced traffic congestion while arriving amid heavy rain.
In another incident in Vasant Kunj, a woman was injured in a wall collapse. Also, the wall of a private school in Daryaganj collapsed amid heavy rainfall, damaging a car parked in the vicinity. A visual shared by news agency ANI showed the car almost completely mangled due to the incident.
TRAFFIC JAMS IN CAPITAL
Several key stretches of Delhi-NCR were submerged due to the torrential rainfall, with visuals showing underpasses flooded.
Traffic was especially chaotic in Lutyens' Delhi and those leading to Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
Old Rajinder Nagar, where students had been protesting the death of three UPSC aspirants due to flooding at a coaching institute basement, was under knee-deep water. In Connaught Place, in central Delhi, water entered several showrooms and restaurants.
Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory asking commuters to avoid certain roads. As waterlogged roads are being cleared gradually, the traffic department is updating the same on X to inform citizens.
CITIZENS ASKED TO STAY IN
The incessant rainfall prompted the weather department to include Delhi in its list of "areas of concern" in the National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin. Citizens have been advised to remain indoors, secure windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel.
Source: ANI