Delhi and Noida residents faced significant challenges on Friday morning, July 26, as moderate to heavy rain continued for the third consecutive day, causing widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the cities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), subsequently, issued a “yellow” alert for Delhi, predicting that the rain will persist until July 28. While the heavy showers have brought relief from the scorching heat, they have also brought considerable inconvenience to daily commuters.
Thursday’s Downpour:
On Thursday, Delhi’s maximum temperature slightly exceeded the seasonal norm, reaching 36.2 degrees Celsius, despite the showers. Early morning rains resulted in severe waterlogging and traffic jams across several areas. The Safdarjung weather station reported 19.1 mm of rainfall over three hours starting at 8:30 am, while Lodhi Road and Pusa recorded 25.7 mm and 10 mm respectively. Humidity levels remained high, with a reading of 67 percent at 5:30 pm, according to the IMD.
Visuals from different parts of the city showed flooded streets, including the Rampura underpass in northwest Delhi’s Keshavpuram zone, where children were seen playing in the water. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi received numerous complaints about waterlogging and tree uprooting from various localities. At least 13 waterlogging complaints and eight incidents of uprooted trees were reported.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the “moderate” category, with a reading of 109 at 4 pm, as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
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Wednesday’s Weather:
On Wednesday, the rains provided much-needed respite from the heat, bringing the maximum temperature down to 33.8 degrees Celsius, slightly below the seasonal norm. The minimum temperature was recorded at 24.8 degrees Celsius, which is two-and-a-half notches below the normal. The humidity level stood at 74 percent at 5:30 pm. Complaints of waterlogging and tree uprooting were reported from areas such as Pitampura, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, and Chandni Chowk.
Several public transport vehicles, including an NDMC garbage truck, broke down due to the rainfall, which the Met department classified as moderate in intensity.