Red alert for Delhi: IMD issues warning, as heavy rains flood streets and cancel flights

Time of India

a day ago

When heavy monsoon rains pound Delhi, they don't just bring inconvenience; they can disrupt entire routines. Streets flood, traffic slows to a crawl, flights get delayed or canceled, and the city's infrastructure gets tested to its limits.
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Recently, that disruption has elevated from a yellow alert to a full-blown red alert, which is a clear signal that the situation is serious and immediate action is needed. Whether someone is heading out for work, catching a flight, or watching the forecast, what lies ahead in the day demands attention.
Parts of Delhi-NCR were hit by heavy rain early Thursday morning, leading the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to elevate the weather warning from yellow to red alert.
The streets of NCR are highly inundated
The downpour brought severe waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the region. Streets in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad were inundated, with vehicles crawling through flooded roads and commute times significantly impacted.
This intense spell of rain is intensifying just ahead of Independence Day, raising concerns over potential disruptions to celebrations and travel plans.
IMD issues a warning for heavy downpour
The IMD has issued alerts not just for Delhi-NCR, but also for Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Madhya Pradesh, and West Uttar Pradesh, warning of continued heavy rainfall in the coming hours.
According to a TOI report, over 300 flights were disrupted during a heavy rain spell over Raksha Bandhan, with areas like Safdarjung and Pragati Maidan recording more than 100 mm of rain within hours. On another morning, more than 130 flights were delayed as rain battered the region.
Climate experts note that this monsoon season has deviated from usual patterns. 'Last year, we had La Niña conditions, which were driving the monsoon.
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This time, there are neutral conditions, but we have had a lot of active weather systems dominating northwest India. This has kept the plains particularly wet, with light to moderate spells on most days and heavy spells on isolated days,' explained Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, as per a TOI report.
With monsoon still active, more rain is expected to push the city even closer to or beyond that benchmark.
The red alert isn't just a label; it's a warning for us to stay informed, take precautions, and adjust plans as the monsoon continues to challenge life in India's capital.