New Delhi: Heavy rain lashed several parts of Delhi and adjoining areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday morning, triggering widespread waterlogging and prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the region.
The city remained under a thick blanket of clouds as persistent showers affected normal life in several areas. Water accumulated on roads and low-lying stretches, raising concerns about traffic disruptions during the morning rush hour.
The IMD issued a district-level nowcast warning covering North Delhi, Central Delhi, North East Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi, South West Delhi, New Delhi, South Delhi, South East Delhi, Shahdara and East Delhi. The red alert was valid until 9:45 a.m.
Heavy showers were reported from several prominent locations, including Parliament Street, Connaught Place, the AIIMS area, ITO, R.K. Puram and Ferozeshah Road.
According to the latest IMD forecast, moderate rainfall is likely at many places across Delhi, while isolated locations may experience heavy to extremely heavy showers. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are also expected over the capital.
The weather warning comes a day after intense rainfall threw normal life out of gear across Delhi-NCR, causing extensive waterlogging, traffic congestion and disruption to flight operations.
Gurugram and Faridabad have been placed under a yellow alert, with further rainfall expected in the two NCR cities. Noida remained heavily overcast, although the IMD had not issued any specific weather warning for the city.
On Monday, heavy rain brought traffic to a crawl across several parts of Delhi, Gurugram and Noida. Major roads witnessed long queues of vehicles as rainwater accumulated on key stretches and low-lying areas.
Air travel was also affected by the adverse weather, with 26 flights cancelled, 15 diverted to other cities and more than 390 delayed during the day.
The latest spell of rain has pushed Delhi’s cumulative monsoon rainfall above normal at several weather stations. Till August 24, Safdarjung recorded 246.2 mm of rainfall against a normal of 191.1 mm, an excess of 29 per cent. Palam received 227.2 mm, or 28 per cent above normal, while Lodi Road recorded 233.2 mm, 22 per cent higher than normal.
Ridge logged 243 mm of rainfall, an excess of 50 per cent, while Ayanagar received 266.3 mm, 66 per cent above its normal rainfall.
The IMD attributed the intense showers to the interaction between a middle- and upper-level western disturbance and a lower-tropospheric trough extending from a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal towards southwest Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, air quality readings across Delhi-NCR remained largely in the poor category. Anand Vihar recorded the highest pollution level among the listed stations at 208, while readings at several other locations ranged from satisfactory to poor.
Mundka (81), CRRI Mathura Road (96), Rohini (130), Punjabi Bagh (114), Chandni Chowk (135), Narela (90), Shadipur (64), R K Puram (109), Pusa (123), North Campus (131), Cantonment Area (103), Sonia Vihar (131), and Anand Vihar (208).
(IANS)
