Delhi Faces Traffic Chaos Amid Heavy Rains, IMD Issues Orange Alert

Heavy rains lashed Delhi-NCR, causing significant waterlogging and traffic disruptions. The IMD has issued an orange alert and predicted continued rainfall, gusty winds, and a drop in temperature. The weather disruptions are attributed to a depression over Central UP. Multiple regions in North India face similar weather challenges.

Delhi-National Capital Region was hit with heavy rains on Friday, leading to widespread waterlogging and severe traffic congestion in various areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the day.

Numerous locations across the capital saw vehicles struggling through waterlogged streets. The IMD cited a combination of factors, including a depression over central Uttar Pradesh, as driving the continuous downpour, predicting more rainfall and gusty winds up to 30 kmph. The department also noted that waterlogging and traffic disruptions are likely, particularly in low-lying areas.

The IMD forecasted that the maximum temperature in Delhi would hover around 28 degrees Celsius, which is six notches below the seasonal norm. The depression, which had formed over the Bay of Bengal and moved to central Uttar Pradesh, significantly contributed to the rainfall across North India. 'Depression over central Uttar Pradesh lay centred at 0530 IST on 13 Sept, approximately 20 km south-southwest of Bareilly and 70 km west-northwest of Shahjahanpur. It is likely to continue moving nearly north-northwest and weaken gradually,' IMD stated on X.

Additionally, IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rain, with extremely heavy rain at isolated places over Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh. Similar conditions are expected in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, east Uttar Pradesh, and east Rajasthan, while thunderstorms and lightning are anticipated in pockets of north-west India, excluding Haryana.

(With inputs from agencies.)