Heavy rain in Delhi-NCR, parts of North India and Mumbai disrupted daily life on Thursday, with the weather department issuing a red alert for the national capital. Severe waterlogging choked key stretches across Delhi and left several underpasses flooded ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
Flight operations, however, remained normal, the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport said in an update. “Delhi is experiencing inclement weather conditions. However, operations are currently normal,” the advisory stated.
Those planning to travel to the mountains over the upcoming extended weekend may also face disappointment as more showers are forecast for Delhi-NCR, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the coming days.
Monsoon fury in North India
Incessant rainfall since early morning in Delhi-NCR brought relief from the scorching heat but also caused severe waterlogging in parts of the national capital. Office-goers and schoolchildren faced a harrowing commute as key stretches reported heavy traffic congestion.
Delhi and its satellite cities, Noida and Gurugram, are expected to see light to moderate rain throughout the day, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgrading its “yellow” alert to a “red” warning.
Heavy rain also pounded Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow and Meerut since morning, prompting the closure of schools in several districts. The meteorological department has issued a heavy rain alert for 58 districts, including Kannauj, Moradabad, Bareilly and Jhansi.
In Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar, people were seen wading through knee-deep water as several parts of the city were submerged.
Rainfall activity intensified in Uttarakhand as well, with heavy showers battering Dharali, which was recently hit by a flash flood. With more than 45 people still missing, the fresh downpour disrupted ongoing rescue operations.
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An orange alert has been issued for the entire state, while certain areas remain on red alert. All schools in Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi, Haridwar, Tehri and Dehradun will stay closed on Thursday.
Himachal Pradesh, which has been witnessing incessant rainfall over the past week, saw a sudden flash flood sweep through Hojis Lungpa Nala in Kinnaur district. The flood struck a CPWD road construction site, injuring one person.
The deluge also engulfed the bridge across the Sutlej river in Kinnaur. In a late-night operation, the Army rescued four civilians stranded on the riverbank.
Meanwhile, nearly 900 Kinner Kailash Yatra pilgrims were rescued by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Himachal Pradesh. The operation, which lasted more than 10 hours, was carried out in challenging terrain and heavy rain.
Mumbai, the financial capital, also witnessed heavy rainfall on Thursday, with the weather department issuing a yellow alert for the city.
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