Delhi faces worst June rain in 88 years: 11 dead, terminal shut at airport

Delhi rain: Several parts of the city remain waterlogged, and many areas experienced prolonged power cuts as Delhi recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall in 24 hours on Friday

Delhi witnessed a grim aftermath of torrential rains, with at least 11 lives lost in various rain-related incidents.

Two boys drowned in a waterlogged underpass in northwest Delhi's Badli on Saturday, police said, adding the stretch was flooded following heavy rains the previous day.

In Okhla, a 60-year-old man died after he got stuck with his scooty in a waterlogged underpass. Digvijay Kumar Chaudhary is a resident of Delhi's Jaitpur.

On Saturday morning, the bodies of three labourers were pulled out from the rubble of a wall that collapsed at a construction site in the Vasant Vihar area here amid heavy rain the day before, officials said.

 

With six deaths reported on Saturday, the number of people killed in rain-related incidents in Delhi has climbed to 11 in the past two days.

The city woke up to another overcast morning following a record-breaking rainfall of 228.1 mm in just 24 hours, marking the highest June rainfall in 88 years.

With the monsoon now fully enveloping the national capital, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts continued rainfall, with heavy showers expected till July 1.
 

Saturday's minimum temperature settled at 28°C, near seasonal norms compared to the previous day's 24.7°C. The India Metrological Department (IMD) Saturday issued an orange alert for Delhi, predicting heavy rainfall for the next two days.

According to the IMD, 8.9 mm rainfall was recorded between 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm at the Safdarjung observatory, the city's primary weather station, and 12.6 mm at the Lodhi Road observatory.

Moderate rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 7.6 and 35.5 mm in a day, and heavy rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 64.5 and 124.4 mm in a day.

Latest updates on Delhi rainfall

City submerged

Several areas remain waterlogged, accompanied by prolonged power outages. The inundation has disrupted daily life, with residents struggling to navigate the flooded streets. Many households are dealing with water entering their homes, and businesses have faced interruptions due to the adverse weather conditions.

 

This is peak of South Delhi after 5 hours of Rain !

We drowned . pic.twitter.com/k9JH8xovoD

— Sumit (@sumitsaurabh) June 28, 2024

Record rainfall in Delhi

June rainfall has surged to 234.5 mm, over three times the monthly average of 74.1 mm. This unprecedented rainfall has put a significant strain on the city's drainage system. It highlighted the urgent need for infrastructural improvements to handle such extreme weather events in the future.

Tragic recoveries

Rescue teams retrieved the bodies of three labourers from a collapsed wall in Vasant Vihar, identifying two victims as Santosh Kumar Yadav (19) and Santosh (38), while the third remains unidentified. The incident has raised concerns about the safety standards at construction sites, particularly during severe weather conditions.

 

#WATCH | Rescue operation underway by NDRF, fire brigade and police officials after three labourers fell into a pit of an under-construction building in Delhi's Vasant Vihar area. The labourers were living in temporary huts near the site and the huts collapsed into the pit due to… pic.twitter.com/gyhZI8SyQH

— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2024

Ongoing rescue

Emergency teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and civic authorities, continue operations to ensure no one else remains trapped. 

2 children drown in rainwater-filled ditch

Two boys, aged 8 and 10, drowned in a rainwater-filled ditch in New Usmanpur, while a man lost his life at a flooded underpass in Shalimar Bagh. 

40-year-old man electrocuted

A 40-year-old man, identified as Rajesh, died due to electrocution in Rohini's Prem Nagar on Friday. Rajesh lived with his family in the area. The police were alerted to the incident by a PCR call. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. An initial investigation confirmed that the cause of death was electrocution.

 

Property damage

Uprooted trees damaged homes and vehicles across residential areas. The strong winds accompanying the rains have caused widespread destruction, with many residents reporting significant damage to their properties.

Efforts are underway to clear the debris and assess the extent of the damage.

Government's response

A 24-hour control room has been established by the Delhi government to oversee waterlogging concerns, announced Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.

This control room aims to provide immediate assistance to affected residents and coordinate relief efforts across the city. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, meanwhile, inspected the city's most severely affected areas and drainage systems to assess the damage and oversee remedial measures, an official statement said on Saturday.

Delhi airport disruption

Operations at Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 remain suspended indefinitely following the canopy collapse, impacting around 200 daily flights. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu assured affected passengers of refunds or alternative flights within seven days. The airport authorities are working to restore normalcy and ensure passenger safety.

Delhi airport roof collapse: Police files FIR

Delhi Police have registered a first information report (FIR) under Sections 304A (death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by act of endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

This legal action aims to investigate the causes behind the incidents and hold accountable those responsible for any lapses.

(With agency inputs)