Delhi breaks 41-year rainfall record, govt issues flood warning

New Delhi [India], July 9 : The Delhi government issued a flood warning amid heavy rains in North India and the Haryana government released more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna River from the HathniKund Barrage in Yamunanagar.
Several parts of northwest India witnessed a heavy spell of rain with Delhi shattering a 41-year record. There were reports of house collapses, uprooting of trees and waterlogging in several residential colonies. Waterlogging issues were also observed in diplomatic enclaves such as Chanakyapuri, Kaka Nagar, Bharti Nagar, and other prominent roads and colonies under the jurisdiction of the NDMC.
Meanwhile, The water level in the Yamuna river in Delhi is rising and is expected to breach the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Tuesday, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has said.
According to the CWC's flood-monitoring portal, the water level in the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 203.18 metres at 1 pm on Sunday.
The warning level is 204.5 metres.The water level is likely to rise to 205.5 metres between 11 am and 1 pm on Tuesday, the CWC said in an advisory.
In a span of 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, Delhi recorded 153 mm of rainfall, marking the highest single-day rainfall in July since 1982, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to India Meteorological Department, New Delhi's Safdarjung recorded the third highest 24-hour rainfall (for the month of July) on 8th-09th July, 2023, since 1958.
The Safdarjung weather station, which is the city's weather base recorded 153 mm of rain till 8.30 am, the IMD said in a tweet along with the details of the five highest rainfall records of 24-hour rainfall in the month of July for New Delhi (Safdarjung) during 1958-2023.
In 1958, Safdarjung Observatory had recorded 266.2 mm of rain during the July 20-21 period while in 1982, it logged 169.9 during the July 25-26 period, IMD said.
Following heavy rain in the city, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials 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.

Amid the heavy rains in different parts of the country, India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that rainfall activity will continue over Northwest India, but the intensity of showers may differ.

A senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer living in the Bharti Nagar area had to vacate her house with her children as rainwater entered the premises due to the continuous downpour. The NDMC has advised residents on the ground floors to find alternative accommodations until the water subsides.

"People living on ground floors have been advised by NDMC to shift to some other place till the time water subsides. We have disconnected the power supply fearing electrocution. I have shifted to my colleague's house who lives on the first floor in another location in Delhi," said the official, who wished not to be named.
Dr Charan Singh, Head of the Regional Meteorology Center, New Delhi said, "The intensity of rain that was yesterday will be the same in the mountains today, although the intensity of rainfall will decrease in plains from today. Yet there are chances of heavy rainfall'.
"If I speak about Delhi NCR, still there are chances of heavy rainfall at 1-2 locations and then Delhi NCR will not be witnessing heavy rainfall for the next 4 to 5 days. Although rain will continue to occur intermittently, but the intensity will be less," Singh said.
He further said that in Northwest India, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will witness extremely heavy rainfall for the next two days.
Talking about plains, as far as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan are concerned, there are chances of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next two days, but the intensity will decrease after two days.
Singh said, "As far as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan are concerned, there are chances of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next two days, but the intensity will decrease after two days. Rainfall activity will continue to occur over northwest India."
He also said that light to moderate rain is ongoing in the entire country.
Moreover, Delhi minister Atishi also visited waterlogged areas in ITO and intercepted the condition.
In view of incessant rains in the national capital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and took updates.
Shah spoke to Delhi LG as moderate to heavy rain lashed several parts of the national capital and its adjoining areas. The downpour slowed down the traffic movement after waterlogging in several parts of the city.
Pictures and videos of commuters wading through knee-deep water flooded social media platforms, raising concerns about the efficiency of the city's drainage infrastructure.
Considering the situation, Delhi Traffic Police kept updating Delhi'ites about traffic affected in parts of the city through its Twitter account by uploading pictures of the waterlogged areas.
In a recent alert through one such tweet, the Delhi Traffic Police mentioned, "Traffic is affected in the carriageway from Kalindi Kunj towards Okhla and vice-versa due to waterlogging and breakdown of vehicles at Okhla underpass. Commuters are advised to avoid these stretches".
"Traffic is affected on Bhairon Marg in the carriageway from Ring road towards Mathura road and vice-versa due to waterlogging under Railway bridge Bhairon Marg. Traffic is diverted towards Pragati Maidan tunnel," another tweet of the Delhi Traffic Police mentioned.
"Movement of traffic is restricted on old Delhi Gurugram road in the carriageway from Kapashera towards Dwarka due to maintenance work at T-point Samalkha. Kindly avoid the stretch," read another tweet.
Strong winds and showers also caused disruptions in power and internet connectivity in several areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a tweet, has also said, "Thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of Delhi.
"The places, where the rainfall was predicted, include Narela, Alipur, Rohini, Badili, Pitampura, Paschim Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Kashmiri Gate, Seelampur, Rajauri Garden, Red Fort, Rajeev Chauk, ITO and Jafarpur.
As per the IMD, an interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall.
Meanwhile, after nine hours of rains, the Delhi ridge recorded 65mm rainfall, Safdarjung recorded 106mm and Ayanagar recorded 44mm.
Despite the heavy downpour in the national capital and adjoining area, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials are working tirelessly to drain out the rainwater to prevent the waterlogging in its area.
NDMC's portable water pumps are working round the clock (24x7) for the prevention of any water logging on roads during heavy rain with pump operators and other staff/manpower in the New Delhi area.
For monsoon preparedness, NDMC has already been set up six control rooms at Sangli Mess, Khan Market, Netaji Nagar, Malcha Marg, Mandir Marg and Hanuman Road (Drainage Service Centres), in NDMC area to avoid any type of water logging in rainy season.
Moreover, Delhi schools will remain closed on Monday, July 10, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed on Sunday.
"In view of the torrential rains lashing Delhi for the last two days and warnings from the Meteorological Department, all schools in Delhi are being closed for a day tomorrow," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi on Sunday.
The power supply has been disconnected in affected areas to prevent the risk of electrocution.
Henceforth IMD has also predicted heavy rainfall in Delhi -NCR at 1-2 locations for the next 4 to 5 days but the intensity will be less.
Gurugram also faced waterlogging and traffic jams in several areas. The weather department had already issued a yellow alert for the city, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall.