Delhi rains: Three flights were diverted at the Delhi airport today (August 11) due to bad weather, according to an official. Various parts of the national capital witnessed heavy rains on Sunday. The official said three flights of Air India were diverted, two to Jaipur and one to Lucknow. These flights were diverted between 0945 and 1115 hours.
On Sunday morning, Air India said flights to and from Delhi may be affected due to heavy rains. "Guests are advised to start early for the airport, as slow traffic and waterlogging may delay movement," the airline said in a post on X.
Downpour in Delhi, traffic crawls, several areas waterlogged
Heavy rain lashed many parts of the national capital on Sunday afternoon, leading to waterlogging and traffic snarls in several areas as the weather office predicted more showers in the Delhi-NCR area in the evening.
The city recorded a low of 26 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is likely to settle at 32.0 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The humidity was recorded at 92 per cent at 8.30 am.
IMD issues Orange alert
The IMD has issued an ‘orange’ alert for the city that signifies ‘being prepared’ for extremely bad weather and potential disruptions to transport, rail and road. Central, south, southwest and east Delhi received heavy rainfall today as the latest weather alert from the weather department predicted more showers in the Delhi-NCR areas towards the end of the day.
"Moderate to heavy rainfall, accompanied by moderate thunderstorms and lightning, is very likely to occur across Delhi and NCR in the next two hours," the weather officer said.
“Seeking safe shelter and avoiding tree cover are recommended to mitigate risks," the IMD cautioned. The Delhi Traffic Police informed about traffic disruptions due to waterlogging in several areas.
Traffic snarls in national capital
"Traffic is affected on Najafgarh-Phirni road near Dhansa Stand and Bahadurgarh Stand. Please avoid these stretches and plan your journey accordingly," the traffic police said in a post on X.
In another post shared with a picture of a road submerged in water due to rain, the police said that traffic was disrupted on Najafgarh Phirni road due to waterlogging and the breakdown of three cluster buses near Chhawla Stand.
According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, they received 12 complaints at the Central Control Room (HQ) between 6 am and 2 pm. According to data released by the MCD, seven calls were received regarding waterlogging at different locations and four about fallen trees.