Delhi: Unprecedented 88-Year Rainfall Record
Delhi, the nation’s capital, experienced a deluge as 25% of its annual rainfall poured down in just one day. A staggering 228.1 mm of rain inundated the city within a span of 24 hours from 8:30 AM on Thursday to 8:30 AM on Friday, marking the highest rainfall in 88 years. The last time Delhi witnessed such a downpour was on June 28, 1936, when 235.5 mm of rain was recorded at the Safdarjung observatory. This recent event surpassed the records set back then by a close margin after nearly a century.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi has not encountered such intense rainfall exceeding 228 mm in a single day since 1966. The city typically receives 800 mm of rain over the course of the monsoon season. The aftermath of this unprecedented rainfall left many areas of the capital submerged, highlighting the challenges posed by receiving a quarter of the season’s rainfall in just one day.
Delhi’s Deluge: Infrastructure Struggles Amid 150 mm Downpour
In a swift and intense downpour from 2:30 pm to 5:30 am on Friday, Delhi was drenched with 150 mm of rainfall within just three hours. The Delhi government has acknowledged its limitations in handling such a rapid influx of rain, citing inadequate infrastructure for such scenarios.
The consequences of this heavy rainfall were evident as the Delhi-Meerut national highway became submerged in water, starting from the upscale Lutyens’ Delhi area. Several regions, including Naraina-Motibagh Road, Dhaulakuya, Birbanda Bairagi Marg, Azad Market Underpass, Tilak Setu, Aravind Marg, Pragati Maidan, and the route leading to AIIMS, were inundated. The water levels at times rose to knee-high and waist-high, leading to a standstill in traffic flow.
Delhi’s Rain Chaos: Commuter Struggles, Flooding, and Tragedy
The heavy rainfall in Delhi led to a chaotic situation where passenger buses, autos, and small cars came to a halt, with many vehicles nearly submerged in the rising waters. Thousands of commuters found themselves stranded on the roads after venturing out from their homes on Friday morning to reach their workplaces. The disruption extended to the metro services as well.
The deluge also caused widespread flooding in the city, with videos of the inundated streets quickly spreading across social media platforms. Amidst the unfolding events, a tragic incident occurred at Delhi airport, where one person lost his life as a section of the roof collapsed in Departure Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, underscoring the severity of the situation and its impact on public safety.
