Heavy rain lashed Delhi on Friday, triggering severe waterlogging and traffic snarls across the city, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert till 5 pm. The downpour hit several areas, including central, south, and southeast Delhi, leading to flooding in localities such as West Vinod Nagar, AIIMS, Patparganj, Mayur Vihar, and Sangam Vihar.
The showers caused massive disruptions in the capital’s traffic flow, with congestion reported on major routes including the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway, Vikas Marg, ITO, Sarai Kale Khan, Mathura Road, Pragati Maidan, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi-Jaipur Highway, and MG Road. Commuters faced long delays as vehicles moved at a crawl through waterlogged stretches.
Air travel was also hit hard, with 235 flights delayed from Indira Gandhi International Airport due to the weather conditions. IMD’s latest nowcast predicted continued light to moderate rainfall in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph.
Delhi’s primary weather station recorded 56.2 mm rainfall in just three hours. With the maximum temperature expected to settle at 34°C, authorities have advised commuters to plan travel carefully.
