Heavy rain lashes Delhi: 'Red' alert issued as videos of waterlogging, including outside Parliament, go viral

Delhi has been placed on a 'red' alert following heavy rainfall that struck the Delhi-NCR region on Wednesday evening, resulting in waterlogging and traffic congestion in various areas. A 'red' warning signifies the need for action and heightened vigilance.

According to the National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin, Delhi has been identified as an 'area of concern'. In response to the situation, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor posted on X, urging officers to stay alert due to the heavy rainfall.

"Apart from ensuring minimum inconvenience to people in general, they are advised to specifically address issues at sites prone to waterlogging, including coaching centres," he said in the post.

Several areas, including Lutyen's Delhi, Kashmere Gate, and Rajinder Nagar, among others, were flooded following the heavy rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has advised residents to stay indoors, secure windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel.

"Seeking safe shelter and avoiding tree cover are recommended to mitigate risks. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops," it said in the advisory.

The Pragati Maidan observatory in central Delhi recorded 112.5 mm of rainfall in one hour, according to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Automatic Weather Station (AWS) network. The IMD defines a "cloud burst" as an extreme event where 100 mm of rainfall occurs within an hour. However, there has been no official statement from weather officials regarding this situation.

In a nowcast, the IMD predicted widespread light to moderate rainfall over Delhi in the next two hours. Additionally, thunderstorms with lightning and surface winds reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour are also expected in isolated areas during this period.

Visuals from different parts of Delhi, widely shared on social media, showed vehicles navigating waterlogged roads and people stranded in flood waters. The traffic police have issued alerts about the affected routes and urged residents to plan their journeys accordingly.

On Wednesday, the national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius. The day before, Delhi experienced its highest maximum temperature for July this year, reaching 39.3 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees above normal. According to the IMD, the humidity level stood at 63 percent at 5:30 pm. The city also recorded a minimum temperature of 30.4 degrees Celsius, 3.3 degrees above normal.

The IMD has forecasted a wet spell to continue until August 5.