Delhi experienced a deluge as multiple weather stations recorded over 100mm of rainfall till Thursday morning, following overnight light to moderate showers due to a convergence of thunderclouds over the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday evening.
The intense rainfall, exceeding 50mm per hour at its peak, caused severe waterlogging in most parts of the city, including key areas such as Mayur Vihar Phase-2 in East Delhi. The downpour disrupted air traffic and left vehicles stranded on flooded highways, posing significant challenges to commuters.
Though the intensity of the rain reduced after 8:30 pm on Wednesday, the showers persisted until around 2:30 am before the skies began to clear. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts scattered drizzles to light rain in some parts of Delhi over the next few hours, with a yellow alert in place for the rest of Thursday.
IMD data from 8:30 am on Wednesday to 5:30 am on Thursday revealed heavy rainfall across several stations. Safdarjung, the station representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded 107.6mm of rainfall. Other notable figures included 68.3mm at Palam, 104.5mm at Delhi University, 86mm at Pusa, 112.5mm at Najafgarh, and 147.5mm at Mayur Vihar. Narela and Pitampura recorded moderate rainfall of 39.5mm and 45.5mm, respectively.
The IMD classifies rainfall based on its intensity. The deluge that hit Delhi was categorized as ‘extremely intense’ with rainfall recorded at Mayur Vihar approaching the cloudburst threshold. Between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm on Wednesday, the city received 79.2mm of rainfall. Subsequent hours saw a reduction in intensity, with only 15.2mm recorded till 11:30 pm and another 13.2mm till 2:30 am.
In response to the severe waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory for early morning commuters, advising them to avoid Rohtak Road due to heavy waterlogging and potholes. Authorities urge residents to remain cautious and avoid venturing into flooded areas.