Waterlogging, thunderclaps, traffic chaos — the capital wakes up soaked and stalled
Delhi woke up drenched on Tuesday. And not just from a mild monsoon drizzle. By 9 a.m., it was clear the city wasn’t just getting a summer rinse—it was in for a full-blown deluge.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a RED alert for the capital, warning of intense to “very intense” spells of rainfall across several zones. By mid-morning, roads in central, north, and west Delhi had already started to flood. ITO, Kamala Nagar, Dhaula Kuan, and even the usually manicured lawns of Vijay Chowk weren’t spared.
As thunder rattled windows and commuters scrambled through knee-deep water, the alert status felt more than justified.
Red Alert? What It Means for Delhiites
Let’s cut through the jargon.
A Red alert from IMD signals a serious weather threat. It’s not just “carry an umbrella” weather—it’s “stay home if you can” weather. It means things can get dangerous, fast.
On Tuesday, the IMD specifically highlighted risk in southeast and northeast Delhi, while putting southwest NCR on a ‘yellow’ watch. The rains started late Monday night and had already drenched Ridge Road and parts of Lutyens’ Delhi by the crack of dawn.
And this isn’t just scattered rain. Here’s how much various zones soaked up by 11:30 a.m., based on IMD data:
| Location | Rainfall Recorded (mm) |
|---|---|
| Delhi Ridge | 129.4 |
| Delhi CHO | 71.8 |
| Safdarjung (Manual) | 55.0 |
| Lodi Road (AWS) | 64.5 |
| Ayanagar | 23.0 |
| Palam | 4.2 |
| Pusa Institute | 37.5 |
| Pragati Maidan | 44.4 |
One sentence: Kamala Nagar practically turned into a shallow lake.
Capital’s Low-Lying Areas Submerged—Again
Visuals from Kamala Nagar Market were telling.
Cars half-submerged. Scooters toppled. Pedestrians, mostly college students and vendors, trudging through filthy rainwater with backpacks held above their heads.
It wasn’t much different in Naraina, Rohini, Patel Nagar, and Jangpura. Overloaded drains choked early. Water found its way everywhere—underground metros, building basements, and even some ground-floor apartments near Lajpat Nagar.
And it wasn’t just a Delhi problem. Noida’s Sector 62 and Gurgaon’s MG Road saw their fair share of mess too. Officegoers cursed Google Maps for underestimating the delay, while radio stations played traffic alerts like breaking news every 30 seconds.
The IMD predicted this too: “Localized flooding of roads, waterlogging in low-lying areas, disruption in traffic and closure of underpasses likely.”
They weren’t wrong.
IMD’s Advisory: Keep Windows Shut, Avoid Trees, Stay Away From Wires
It wasn’t just a weather update. It came with an action plan, and for once, Delhi might want to take it seriously.
Key IMD instructions included:
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Stay indoors unless essential
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Do not take shelter under trees
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Avoid touching open electrical wires
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Get out of water bodies immediately
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Follow traffic advisories and avoid low-lying routes
The city’s relative humidity stood at 70% at 8:30 a.m., and strong gusts at 30–40 km/hr knocked branches and hoardings loose.
By 9 a.m., the advisory morphed into warning mode.
Air India Issues Travel Advisory Amid Flight Chaos
Flying out of Delhi today? Good luck.
Air India posted a travel alert warning passengers that operations might be hit due to gusty winds and visibility drops. And they weren’t the only ones.
IndiGo delayed 16 departures by early afternoon, and Vistara rerouted two incoming flights to Jaipur and Chandigarh. The IGI Airport authority asked travelers to double-check flight status and arrive earlier than usual.
Some passengers, drenched and irritated, posted videos on X (formerly Twitter) complaining about no shelter in parking lots and crowded terminal queues.
One woman posted: “Got to Terminal 3 and it’s raining inside the arrival hall. Ceiling leak near Gate 5. Incredible India.”
Schools, Metro, and a City on Pause
While the Delhi government didn’t call for school closures (yet), many private schools in South and East Delhi announced early dispersals. Some canceled buses altogether.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reported slowdowns on Yellow and Blue Lines due to water seepage at multiple stations. Trains were delayed between Jahangirpuri and Rajiv Chowk and also from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre.
By noon, most offices in Connaught Place saw staff trickling in well past scheduled timings. In a few government buildings near North Block, staff were reportedly advised to work from home.
What’s Next? More Showers and Cloudy Skies
The forecast doesn’t promise much relief.
The IMD predicts continued cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainfall through the evening, with potential thunderstorm activity peaking around 6 p.m.
Maximum temperature was expected to hover around 30°C, which may sound cool for late July—but feels like a sauna with that much humidity.
As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI was a rare ‘satisfactory’ 87 at 9 a.m., thanks to the rains scrubbing pollutants from the air. So there’s that silver lining.
