Water, water everywhere: Waterlogging hits Delhi NCR; all you need to know

The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre has issued a "yellow alert" indicating moderate rains to thunderstorms on July 10 in Delhi

Parts of North India, including Delhi-NCR, saw incessant rains in the past two days. According to data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi saw over 153 mm of rain between 8:30 pm on Saturday and 8:30 am on Sunday. This was the highest rainfall over a 24-hour period since July 25, 1982, when the capital recorded 169.9 mm of rainfall.

In the next 24 hours, the capital saw 107.3 mm of rainfall, taking the total to over 290 mm. This is way higher than the normal of 209.77 mm for the entire month of July in the region. The NCR also saw heavy rains, with Gurgaon recording over 150 mm in 24 hours. 

Several other parts of Northwest India also saw very heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday, with Chandigarh receiving 322.2 mm and Ambala 224.1 mm of rainfall in a day.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have also reported very heavy rain.
 

Schools, offices shut due to waterlogging

The rains have led to severe waterlogging in Delhi and NCR. Delhi saw over 200 complaints of water logging and road cave-ins over the weekend. Fifteen incidents of building collapse were also reported.

On Sunday evening, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that schools in the capital would be shut on Monday due to waterlogging.

Also Read: Delhi Congress slams AAP as monsoon rain brings national capital to halt

Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to the lieutenant governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena and took updates on the situation. Shah spoke to the chief ministers of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, Bhagwant Mann and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, about losses due to rain. He assured all possible help to both states.

In Gurugram, too, all the private and government schools have been shut today. "All Government and Private Schools (including Play schools etc.) falling in Gurugram district are hereby directed to remain closed tomorrow, i.e. on July 10, in the larger public interest and for the safety & security of the students," said the district administration in an advisory.

The district administration further advised all corporate offices and private institutions to work from home to avoid traffic jams.

"All corporate offices and private institutions in the district are advised to guide their employees to Work from home tomorrow, i.e. on July 10, so that traffic congestion can be avoided and repair/restoration of civic amenities can be carried out smoothly by Govt. agencies," said Gurugram district administration.

The schools have also been shut in Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida. In Ghaziabad, the schools will remain shut till July 15 due to rains and the ongoing Kanwar Yatra.

Flights, trains delayed

At least 20 flights were cancelled, and 120 services were delayed at Delhi airport on Sunday, aviation industry sources said. The 20 flights include those that were scheduled to operate between Delhi and weather-affected cities such as Dharamshala, Shimla, and Leh, industry sources said.

Also Read: 20 flights cancelled, 120 delayed at Delhi airport amid heavy rains

Railway services, too, have been hit. Northern Railways said it had cancelled around 17 trains and diverted about 12 others, while traffic has been suspended at four locations due to water logging. Warnings of heavy downpours have been issued for certain areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh, while in Delhi, which recorded its highest rain in a single day in July since 1982, authorities have cautioned about the rising water level of the Yamuna.

Ensure the safety of schools: Delhi education minister

Following the heavy downpour, Delhi's education minister Atishi on Sunday, issued an order stating that the authorities must ensure the safety of government schools amid heavy rains.

"As we are aware that during the last few days, the city has faced continuous heavy rainfalls and it might have affected the conditions of government school buildings," stated the order.

All regional directors, zonal directors, deputy directors, principals and vice principals of the education department were directed to conduct physical inspections of schools.

The minister has also ordered the education secretary and the director to ensure the safety of government school buildings and file a compliance report by Monday night.

"In case, any deficiencies or serious problem is found then the same should be cordoned off to avoid any mishappening. Secretary/Director, Education must ensure compliance of the same and a compliance report be submitted to me by tonight i.e. 09.07.2023 positively," the order stated further.

Lawyers absent

The rains also caused water logging in and around the Supreme Court. The chief justice of India, DY Chandrachud, said that the apex court would not pass any adverse order on Monday in the absence of any advocate due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging in the national capital.

"In pursuance to the request made to the office of CJI in regard to the current situation of heavy rainfall and waterlogging, he assured that he would personally ask all judges of the Supreme Court to not pass any adverse order tomorrow -- July 10 -- in the event of absence of any lawyer due to adverse weather conditions," Advocate Rohit Pandey, secretary, Supreme Court Bar Association, told ANI.

He stated further that the Advocate on Record Association requested the Supreme Court registrar to assist in clearing out rainwater in the areas surrounding the Supreme Court.

3,400 police personnel deployed

More than 3,400 police personnel were deployed on Sunday at 50 locations in Delhi to manage traffic in view of waterlogging.

Police personnel were deployed at intersections where signals were not working. According to the police, data collected by the traffic police showed that there were potholes at four major locations -- Bagga roundabout, on Ambedkar Road, Rail Bhawan to Windsor Place on Raisina Road and Adhchini on Aurobindo Marg.

Delhi CM calls a meeting with senior officials

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has called a meeting regarding the heavy rainfall in the Secretariat today. Senior officers have been asked to be present. Discussions on the increasing level of the Yamuna are also expected. Officers from the municipal corporation and Irrigation and Flood Control department will be present at the meeting.

Rain prediction for Monday

According to IMD, moderate rain is expected in Delhi on Monday and Tuesday as well. The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre has issued a "yellow alert" indicating moderate rains to thunderstorms on July 10. Light rain is expected to continue for the next three days.

(With agency inputs)