Heavy rainfall lashed Delhi on July 9, causing waterlogging in several areas of the national capital. The early-morning downpour created difficulties for many commuters, as waterlogging led to traffic jams.
Several areas like Pragati Maidan, Nehru Nagar, Panchsheel Marg, Kalkaji and ITO got waterlogged which restricted the movement of traffic.
The morning rain continued for several hours led to water gushing into the storerooms of the city’s most popular shopping destination, Connaught Place, and led to a closure of the Minto Bridge underpass for traffic due to waterlogging.
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.
Delhi’s primary weather station, the Safdarjung Observatory, recorded 98.7 mm rainfall till 2.30 pm on July 9. A “yellow alert” was issued for Sunday by the India Meteorological Department said.
“This was the season’s first heavy spell of rain. An ‘orange’ alert is in place for more showers on July 8. A ‘yellow alert’ is in place for July 10, the India Meteorological Department said.
“Light to moderate intensity rain would continue over many places of Delhi and NCR, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Assandh, Safidon, Panipat, Gohana, Gannaur, Meham, Sonipat, Rohtak, Kharkhoda, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Kosali, Sohana, Rewari (Haryana),” the Met office said in a tweet.
“Heavy rains in North India for the next four to five days. The effect of active monsoon will be seen in other states,” the IMD said further in its statement. The agency also urged people up north to take necessary precautions against heavy rainfall.
An orange alert has been issued for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh as well. “Orange alert has been issued in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Monsoon is fully active in India. Monsoon has arrived in Punjab and Haryana before time. It usually arrives here by July 5. Now a Western Disturbance has become active. It will rain in both states today and tomorrow. Orange and Yellow alerts have been issued at most places,” said Ajay Kumar Singh, Meteorological Department, Chandigarh.
“Weather Warning for Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh are under a heavy rainfall alert from July 8 to 9. Be prepared for intense rain and take necessary precautions,” the IMD stated. It also issued a yellow alert for certain districts in Kerala.
On the other hand, the heavy rains that continued for the whole day led to damage to several houses and loss of human lives. A total of 15 houses collapsed and one person died, said a Delhi Fire Service official.
A 58-year-old woman identified as Ranjit Kaur lost her life when a wall collapsed on her due to heavy rain in Tibbia College Society in Karol Bagh.
Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall, the back wall of Deshbandhu College, located in the Kalkaji area of Delhi, collapsed, resulting in the damage of approximately 15 luxury cars and 10 to 12 motorcycles and scooters.
The Public Works Department (PWD) received a total of 15 complaints regarding waterlogging since the morning, a PWD official said.
The Delhi Traffic Police said that several locations in the city saw traffic congestion due to water logging, six areas saw congestion due to trees falling and five due to potholes.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police placed barricades at Minto Bridge underpass to stop traffic movement following waterlogging at the spot. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials on July 9 said two people got injured after a house collapsed in Delhi’s Zakhira area due to heavy rain.
“The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received the information about a house collapse at 9:34 am in the Zakhira locality of Delhi on July 9,” added the officials. They also said that three fire tenders rushed to the spot as soon as the DFS received the information about the incident.
During the search, two people were rescued from the debris, and search for other people is being carried out. “Two persons were taken out and rushed to the hospital. Search for other casualties continues,” said the officials.
