Heavy rainfall in Delhi, India, has caused chaos and traffic disruptions, with a 22-year-old woman and her toddler drowning in Ghazipur. Key stretches were choked with unending traffic, leaving people stranded as roads resembled rivers. Heavy rains severely damaged the route in the Rudraprayag district on Wednesday night, and rescue and relief work are underway to evacuate the stranded. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed one Chinook and one Mi-17V5 helicopter to carry out human assistance and relief operations in the Kedar valley of Uttarakhand.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has classified the intense spell of over 100 mm of rain in a single day across Delhi as an “extremely intense spell.” The IMD initially placed Delhi on an “orange” alert but upgraded it to “red” as the situation intensified. The weather office has issued a “yellow” alert for Thursday and Friday as light to moderate rain is expected in the city.
Light showers lashed parts of Delhi and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday evening, providing relief from the humid weather. However, the downpours resulted in traffic congestion and rain-related incidents across the city. The IMD warned that the showers are likely to cause slippery roads, low visibility, traffic disruptions, and localized waterlogging in low-lying areas. As of Thursday, at least 2,670 people were taken to Sonprayag by the relief forces.
