Highlights
- Saturday witnessed moderate downpour throughout the day, leading to traffic snarls at several places
- The weather department said rains improved the air quality to 'good'
- Rainfall activity across the NCR will subside after October 10, the IMD said
Delhi weather update: Heavy rains in the national capital led to major traffic snarls in several areas on Saturday. Places that witnessed waterlogging include Anand Vihar, Wazirabad, the stretch of road between the INA market and the AIIMS, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Tughlakabad, Sangam Vihar, Kirari, Rohtak Road, Vikas Marg, near Zakhira, Najafgarh, Mahipalpur and Rangpuri, civic and public works department (PWD) officials said.
Vehicular traffic was affected on New Rohtak Road, in the carriageway from Zakhira towards Anand Parbat, due to waterlogging near the Anand Parbat red light.
The traffic control room received four calls of waterlogging from Pragati Maidan, Dhaula Kuan flyover, Maharani Bagh to Kilokari and Jhandewalan roundabout on Panchkuiyan Road, an official statement read.
Similarly, two calls regarding potholes were received from Moti Bagh to Dhaula Kuan Flyover carriageway in front of Moti Bagh Gurudwara and Aurobindo Marg, it said.
People posted pictures of rain and waterlogging from a number of places in Delhi on social media platforms.
Though locals had to face the hardships of waterlogging and jams, the weather department highlighted incessant rains also led to an improvement in the air quality.
The maximum temperature settled 10 notches below normal at 23.4 degrees Celsius, the weather office said, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.8 degrees Celsius.
At 6:40 pm, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was registered at 37, which falls in the "good" category, it said.
More rains in Delhi-NCR today
The IMD on Saturday said all 12 stations in the national capital received moderate rainfall today and it is likely to reduce from Sunday but the sky will remain cloudy.
However, the weather forecasting agency has not issued a warning or alert for Delhi.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the day will witness a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rains at most places in the city.
"The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 24 and 21 degrees Celsius respectively," an IMD official said.
No significant rainfall from October 10 onwards in Delhi
The IMD said that the national capital will not receive significant rainfall from October 10 onwards, however, drizzling or light rain might happen.
Commenting on weather updates, RK Jenamani, Scientist, IMD, said, "As per latest analysis, rainfall activity is occurring over north India due to interaction between western disturbance which is at the middle and upper troposphere and at the lower level there is a because its cyclonic circulation over the Gujarat region and from there the moisture because the wind is coming towards the Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR region and East Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh. If we see the rainfall activity till 8:50 am in the morning, heavy to heavy rainfall occurred mainly over the UP and MP, Gujarat and Konkan region."
"Delhi mainly received moderate rainfall today. Safdarjung and Lodhi Road recorded 25 mm rainfall while the Palam area received only 4 mm rainfall today morning. But all 12 stations in Delhi received rainfall today. Thereafter rain has been picked and from morning till 2 pm the rainfall was around 15 mm over Safdarjung and this moderate rainfall will continue today. No warning was issued. It is likely to reduce from tomorrow but the sky will remain cloudy. No significant rainfall from 10 Oct onwards, drizzling or light rain might happen," the scientist said on Saturday.
Orange alert for several other states
Meanwhile, an orange alert has been issued for Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan for two days.
"Heavy to very heavy rainfall might take place in some states for which an orange alert has been issued for October 8 and 9 for Uttarakhand, West UP, East UP and East Rajasthan," said IMD.
The department further said that Uttar Pradesh received the highest intensity of rain in the last two days.
"The Kheri district and Gorakhpur area have recorded the highest rains. The rainfall intensity recorded in these areas were from 120 mm to 240 mm. Extremely heavy rainfall was also received at one station of UP," he said.
