Delhi witnesses heavy rains, traffic snarls reported from several areas
A spell of heavy rains inundated Delhi today, providing some relief from the hot and humid weather but throwing daily life out of gear at the same time. The rains started around 6 pm on Wednesday night and carried on till Thursday. Incidents of uprooted trees and buses being stuck under bridges due to the heavy rain were also reported. Here's more.
The rains have thrown traffic in a disarray
The rains caused water-logging in numerous areas of the city, and even damaged a drain near Kahaira village (T point) on the Dhansa Road. Delhi Traffic Police told TOI that the 200-meter stretch of that road has been closed for safety purposes. Alongside this, a lot of heavy traffic had been diverted from the Rawat village route along the same road.
Water-logging and traffic congestion impede daily life
Heavy water-logging was also reported on NH-48 near Khandsa, resulting in severe traffic congestion. Congestion was also reported on the Mayapuri and Raja Garden flyovers. Other water-logged areas include the region near the New Delhi Railway station and the Dwarka underpass. However, despite the heavy downpour, this year the city recorded the lowest rainfall in ten years (till Wednesday), said the IMD.
Many areas have received considerably less rains this month
According to a Hindustan Times report, the weather stations at the Palam and Lodhi roads have reported 51% and 77% fewer rains this season, respectively. Also, Delhi as a whole received less than 236.9 mm rain it had clocked in the month of July.
Safdarjung Observatory of Delhi recorded 68 mm rainfall
As per PTI, the Safdarjung Observatory has recorded merely 31.1 mm rainfall in August so far, when the normal expectation is 109.6 mm. The deficiency is a record 72%. The Ayanagar weather station recorded 99.2 mm rainfall, till 9:30 am today, and the Ridge Road station 84.6 mm. Reportedly, Lodhi, Safdarjung, and Palam weather stations recorded the heaviest rainfall in the city.
"Axis of monsoon" close to Delhi-NCR: IMD Regional Head
On the downpour, IMD's regional forecast head Kuldeep Srivastava said, "The Axis of Monsoon remains close to Delhi-NCR. There is a cyclonic circulation over southwest Uttar Pradesh. Southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea and easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal also fed moisture."
"Expect light to moderate rains in Delhi, heavy in NCR"
As Delhi continues to be battered by heavy rains, Srivastava added that Delhi will receive light to moderate rains over the next few days. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall is likely in the rest of NCR. "The monsoon trough is running close to Delhi," he added. This also means that traffic in the National Capital will be affected and water-logging will continue to trouble citizens.
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