Heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds lashed Delhi-NCR on Monday, bringing temporary relief from the heat but also triggering waterlogging, traffic jams and flood alerts across the region. Many areas were submerged, with people struggling to manage daily tasks as short commutes stretched into hours due to severe congestion.
The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert and cautioned of moderate to heavy showers in the capital.
Traffic trouble
Long traffic queues built up on the roads, with vehicles moving slowly, especially at underpasses and low-lying areas. Videos from across the region showed heavy rain causing chaos for commuters.
Waterlogging woes
Heavy rainfall in Delhi-NCR on Monday led to severe waterlogging across several parts of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad. Rising water levels in the Yamuna have also prompted the closure of the Old Railway Bridge from Tuesday evening. In some areas, waterlogging reached two to three feet, leaving vehicles stranded and traffic crawling for hours, including a four-kilometre jam from Hero Honda Chowk to Narsinghpur on NH-48.A leakage was reported at a Gurugram flyover after heavy rainfall, with visuals showing the Signature Tower Chowk underpass covered in water.
Flood alert
The Delhi government issued a flood alert after 29,313 cusecs of water was released from Hathnikund Barrage on Monday morning. Officials were asked to patrol vulnerable areas and ensure people living along the Yamuna embankments were shifted to safer locations.“As the water level of ORB (Delhi Old Railway Bridge) may cross the danger level and is likely to exceed 206.50m, a CWC advisory may be expected soon. So, all the Sector Officers are hereby advised to keep a strict vigil in their respective areas and to take necessary action at vulnerable points, such as people residing within the river embankments, shall be warned and shifted to safer places,” a Delhi government order said, as quoted by ANI.Earlier in the day, the IMD issued a yellow alert for September 1, warning of rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. The forecast proved accurate, with heavy rain turning afternoon skies dark and forcing commuters to switch on headlights.The Met department has said that the pleasant weather will continue through the week, with light to moderate showers expected intermittently. Skies will remain cloudy on September 2, though no alert has been issued. A fresh spell of rain with thunder and lightning is predicted for September 3.
Travel advisories
IndiGo issued a travel advisory warning passengers of delays. “Traffic towards the airport is currently slower in several areas. We recommend planning your commute in advance and checking your flight status before heading out,” it suggested on social media platform X.Air India also urged the passengers to check the flight status in advance.
Weather
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature on Monday was recorded several degrees below normal for this time of the year. Delhi registered a minimum of 23.7°C, 2.8 falling below the season’s average, while the maximum was expected around 30°C. Humidity stood at 90% at 8.30 am.
