Delhi witnessed its fourth consecutive rainy day on Friday, with heavy showers bringing relief from the heat but causing widespread waterlogging and traffic disruption. Several arterial roads were inundated, particularly across south and central Delhi, while authorities reported cases of house and wall collapses and fallen trees.
Why Did Heavy Rain Cause Traffic Chaos In Delhi?
The incessant rainfall led to severe waterlogging on several major roads, disrupting traffic across Delhi and neighbouring Gurgaon. Commuters faced long delays on arterial routes, with some reporting being stranded for hours. The DND Flyway saw significant congestion, while MB Road was submerged under around two feet of water. The Okhla underpass was also inundated, adding to traffic woes in the region. Gurgaon witnessed severe congestion on the expressway and other major roads as commuters struggled to navigate waterlogged stretches.
How Much Rain Has Delhi Received In August So Far?
Delhi’s main weather station at Safdarjung recorded 127mm of rainfall during the first seven days of August, making it the wettest first week of the month in at least 16 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. Safdarjung received another 77.1mm of rain in the 12 hours up to 8:30pm on Friday, further adding to the month’s rainfall total. For comparison, the normal rainfall for the entire month of August at Safdarjung is 233.1mm.
Which Parts Of Delhi Received The Most Rainfall?
Several weather stations in south and southwest Delhi recorded particularly heavy rainfall. Between 8:30am and 8pm on Friday:
•   Pushp Vihar: 147.5mm
•   Chhatarpur: 131mm
•   Palam: 88.7mm
•   Aya Nagar: 87.4mm
•   Janakpuri: 72mm
•   Jharoda Kalan: 69.5mm
•   Pusa: 67.5mm
Safdarjung recorded 77.1mm, while Ridge received 49.6mm and Lodhi Road recorded 49.3mm between 8:30am and 5:30pm.
What Damage Has Heavy Rain Caused In Delhi?
The heavy rainfall caused widespread disruption, with at least nine cases of house and wall collapses reported across the capital. At least 16 trees were also uprooted in different parts of the city. The combination of waterlogging, fallen trees and structural damage put additional pressure on Delhi’s civic infrastructure and disrupted normal movement across several neighbourhoods.
What Is The Delhi Weather Forecast For Saturday?
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Saturday, forecasting light to moderate rainfall across Delhi. The intensity of rainfall is expected to decrease from Sunday. The city may receive light to very light rain from Sunday through next Thursday. The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 30°C and 32°C on Saturday before rising to around 33°C-35°C from Sunday. Minimum temperatures are likely to remain between 22°C and 24°C over the next few days.
Persistent rainfall kept temperatures significantly below normal levels. Delhi’s maximum temperature on Friday was 27.5°C, around 7°C below normal, while the minimum temperature was 25.6°C, around 1°C below normal. The difference between the day’s maximum and minimum temperatures narrowed to just 1.9°C, reflecting the impact of persistent cloud cover and rainfall.
The rainfall helped wash pollutants out of the atmosphere, keeping Delhi’s air quality in the satisfactory category. The city’s AQI stood at 63 on Friday, marking the eighth consecutive day that Delhi’s air quality remained in the satisfactory category. The AQI was 74 on Thursday.
