IMD issues orange alert for the National capital amid heavy rainfall; severe waterlogging in the city

New Delhi (India) July 7: The Delhi-NCR area is under an orange alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which warns of extremely high rainfall throughout the day. At least two additional major rainstorms are expected to occur over the next four days due to the monsoon axis shifting northward.

IMD posted, “Scattered moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms will occur in Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida, Palwal, Gurgaon, Baghpat, Parts of Delhi, East Delhi, Jhajjar and nearby areas in the next 2 hours as the axis will shift south once again”on X.

Delhi and the surrounding areas were soaked by constant rain on Monday morning, indicating the monsoon's dramatic return after an extended period of drought. Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad all reported heavy to very heavy rainfall, along with gusty winds and small thunderstorms. This provided much-needed relief from the recent period of extreme heat.

Even though Delhi received the monsoon earlier than expected, the area saw occasional rainfall for about ten days. But now that the weather has shifted, Delhi and the NCR will see a significant amount of rainfall.

The monsoon trough's northward movement, which is presently located over Northern India is the main cause of this change. The Arabian Sea is actively supplying moisture to this trough, which is causing more rainfall. A Western Disturbance (WD) trough that is approaching and dipping across the area is also predicted to increase weather activity, bringing with it thunderstorms and widespread heavy rainfall.

The heavy rain that fell this morning resulted in significant waterlogging and consequent traffic jams in a number of areas within the capital city. The MB Road was flooded by rains, causing severe traffic congestion and delays for office workers, which caused significant inconveniences for the people of Sangam Vihar.

Akshardham and other areas of East Delhi were also reported to have waterlogging. The confusion was linked to inadequate drainage infrastructure by angry travellers.

Sunday saw Delhi's air quality continue its impressive improvement, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the "satisfactory" category for the eleventh consecutive day—the longest such run thus far in 2024. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that at 4 p.m. on Sunday, the AQI was 76.

A high-alert weather warning has also been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Northwest India, indicating that several states will see widespread, intense rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds.

Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh are also expected to have heavy to very heavy rains, while remote areas of Uttar Pradesh and eastern Rajasthan can experience particularly heavy downpours.

Aadrika Tayal