After a devastating downpour that shattered records on Friday, Delhi residents are now facing the prospect of more heavy rainfall as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the national capital.
The IMD’s orange alert, part of its colour-coded warning system, indicates that Delhi should prepare for heavy rain today and tomorrow, exacerbating the challenges posed by the recent deluge. Friday’s monsoon onslaught inundated several low-lying areas and tragically claimed 11 lives across the city. With 228.1 mm of rainfall recorded, it marked the highest single-day June rainfall since 1936.
IMD scientist Soma Sen explained that the monsoon is advancing, with heavy rain expected in various parts of north India. “Eastern UP has been covered and in the next two-three days, western UP and Haryana will be covered,” she stated.
Images of flooded underpasses, stranded vehicles, and residents navigating through waterlogged streets have been a grim feature since Friday. Tragically, fatalities include children who drowned in ditches and commuters trapped in submerged underpasses. A tragic incident at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 saw a canopy collapse, crushing several vehicles and claiming the life of a cab driver.
Waterlogging has severely disrupted traffic, with the Pragati Maidan tunnel remaining closed due to inundation. Civic authorities have escalated their response, increasing manpower and deploying additional pumps and suction machines in vulnerable areas like Golf Links and Bharti Nagar.
“We have also deployed additional staff and cancelled off-days of all staff,” affirmed NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay. CCTV surveillance has been enhanced to monitor vulnerable zones, ensuring swift responses to emerging waterlogging issues.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has mobilized 72 permanent pumping stations and deployed 465 mobile/submersible pumps to tackle waterlogging effectively. “Manpower was adequately deployed in tandem with machines for quick release of water,” an official reported.
As Delhi prepares for more rain, authorities are on high alert, striving to minimize further disruptions and ensure public safety amid the monsoon’s relentless advance.