India: Delhi receives heaviest July rainfall in over 40 years, IMD issues 'yellow' alert

Delhi received the highest rainfall in a single day in July since 1982 in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, with 153 mm of downpour recorded.Heavy to extremely heavy rain has been predicted by the Indian Metrological Department (IMD)for Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

Delhi Minister Atishi, while carrying out an inspection of variousareas in the city after the rainfall, said, "Yesterday, it rained 20 per cent of what it rains in two months in Delhi. The record of 40 years was surpassed. The drainage system in the city is according to rainfall patterns of previous years. So, we are preparing to enhance our capacity."

The Sunday off of all government employees was cancelled by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, as they were instructed to remain on the ground and inspect the problem. The mayors and ministers were asked to carry out an inspection of their respective areas.

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In a tweet,Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, said,"15% of the total monsoon season's rainfall occurred within just 12 hours. People faced a lot of trouble due to waterlogging. Today, all the ministers and the mayor of Delhi will inspect the problem areas. Instructions have been given to the officials of all departments to cancel their Sunday holiday and be present on the ground."

Rainfall record on Saturday

On Saturday, the residential and commercial areas of Delhi were left in mayhemafter heavy monsoon rains lashed India's national capital leading to overflowing drains, inundated roads, paralysed traffic and massive waterlogging.

The primary weather station of the capital city, Safdarjung Observatory, recorded a 126.1 mm downpour between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.

As per Delhi government officials, more than 100 mm of rainfall was received by the city in a single day which amounted to 15 per cent of the total rainfall that the city gets in every monsoon season.

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The officials stated that so much amount of water cannot be drained while the rain is still going on, adding that water will clear rapidlyonce the rain stops. As the rain continued in the morning, water gushed into the storerooms of the most famous shopping destination of the national capital, Connaught Place, and the Minto Bridge underpass was closed to traffic because of waterlogging.

Pedestrians and motorists faced a hard time navigating through waterlogged roads, footpaths and flyovers, while traders tried to stop the rainwater from flooding their shops in several areas.

Yellow alert in national capital

This was the first heavy rainfall that the city received in thisseason of monsoon. On Saturday, an "orange" alert was sounded and a "yellow" alert was issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday.

"Yesterday's intensity of rain will continue in the mountains. The intensity will lower in the plains, still, there are predictions of rainfall. Delhi-NCR is likely to receive heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, however for the next four to five days it will rain but the intensity will remain low. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours," saidCharan Singh, Head Regional Meteorological Centre, Delhi.

It stated that 56 calls were made to the traffic department to complain about waterlogging, six calls regarding fallen trees and five others were related to potholes.

People also reported heavy waterlogging in the Tilak Bridge underpass. The traffic police confirmed that there was waterlogging in the Pandav Nagar underpass, Purana Quila Road, Dwarka Link Road, NH-48 near Shiv Murti, Rohtak Road, Vikas Marg, under the AIIMS flyover, under the Moolchand flyover, Mother Teresa Crescent-Sardar Patel Marg and under Tilak Bridge among other places.

A trader at Connaught Place, Amit Gupta, said that every year the tall claims of Delhi being a smart city are exposed in monsoon when shops are flooded and losses are faced by the traders.

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New Delhi Traders' Association president Atul Bhargava said, "This was the first spell of heavy rain and many shopkeepers are trying to save their goods. The same scene was witnessed during monsoon before the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Talking to Twitter, the Delhi Traffic Police informed, "Traffic is affected on Aurobindo Marg in the carriageway from IIT towards PTS Malviya Nagar and vice-versa due to waterlogging. Kindly avoid the stretch. Traffic is affected on Rohtak road in the carriageway from Tikri Border towards Mundka due to waterlogging. Traffic is affected on Ring road in the carriageway from Rajouri Garden towards Punjabi Bagh due to waterlogging near Bharat Darshan park.”

Northern India submerges in monsoon mayhem

The IMD stated thata western disturbance is prevailing over northern India which has resulted in an intense spell of rain. Waterlogging resulted intraffic jams in various parts of the national capital.

From the last 48 hours, the monsoon rains have resulted in the deathat least 12 people in various cities and towns of northern India. India's weather department, theIndia Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more rains in the upcoming days.

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