Monsoon woes: Delhi wakes up to heavy rain and flashflood alerts
The Met office has issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rain in isolated areas of Jammu and Kashmir until Monday, and in eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab until Sunday.
New Delhi: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and several parts of northwest India were battered by heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday morning, resulting in waterlogging and traffic congestion in many places.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of flash floods and avalanches in the Lahul and Spiti district, while a “yellow” alert has been sounded for Delhi on Sunday.
Heavy showers were also witnessed in parts of Kerala, leading to traffic snarls and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
The Jhelum River and its tributaries in Kashmir saw a rapid rise in water levels due to heavy rainfall, prompting authorities to advise people living near water bodies to remain vigilant and avoid venturing close to the water.
Other regions affected by heavy rainfall include Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, and parts of Karnataka. Landslides and flash floods blocked roads in various areas.
The Met office has issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rain in isolated areas of Jammu and Kashmir until Monday, and in eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab until Sunday.
Heaviest July rain in 21 years floods Delhi
Delhi received its heaviest deluge for a July day in 21 years on Saturday when 126.1mm of rain was recorded between 8.30am and 5.30pm, bringing chaos to the capital’s streets and prompting the IMD to issue a red alert in the afternoon.
Like Saturday, Delhi on Sunday morning woke up to rain lashing several parts of the city, including Mayur Vihar Phase.
Saturday’s rain — classified in the ‘very heavy’ category — was the consequence of monsoon winds interacting with a western disturbance, IMD officials said, which triggered precipitation across much of north-west India.
On Saturday, the traffic department received 56 calls related to waterlogging, six regarding fallen trees and five related to potholes.
The Minto Bridge underpass has been closed for vehicular traffic due to the incessant rains that have led to waterlogging. Heavy waterlogging was also reported from the Tilak Bridge underpass.
Waterlogging was reported from 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, the traffic police said.
Private forecasters hinted that at least for July, northwest India is currently showing signs of normal monsoon rain recording. “Most parts of northwest India have already achieved the normal rainfall mark for the month, and the forecast shows that similar intensity rain is likely to continue for another two to three days,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather.
Delhi’s maximum on Sunday would be around 39 degree Celsius.
The Delhi Traffic Police issued several advisories on social media after traffic jams with waterlogging were reported from areas across the city and the National Capital Region.
Red alert in Himachal Pradesh
The IMD has issued a red alert for seven districts – Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi, and have also warned of flash floods and avalanches in the Lahul and Spiti district.
A ‘red’ alert of extremely heavy rains implies the possibility of more than 204 mm of downpour in a day.
58-year-old woman dies as wall collapses in Karol Bagh
A 58-year-old woman was killed in Karol Bagh when debris from the ceiling of a flat came crashing down on her. The incident took place while the woman was inside her house, and the ceiling collapsed. The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Deshbandhu Gupta Road Police Station. The victim has been identified as Ranjit Kaur, wife of Gyan Singh.
Life brought to standstill in many parts of Rajasthan
Heavy to very heavy rain several districts of Rajasthan, lead to four deaths in separate incidents in the last 24 hours and brought life to a standstill in several areas as roads got flooded.
Severe waterlogging was witnessed in Sikar following incessant rainfall in the region.
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