Rain Fury in Delhi: 1 Death, 15 House Collapses, Traffic Paralyzed

Delhi Grapples with Devastating Rains: 15 Houses Collapse, One Fatality Reported

In the midst of relentless rainfall, Delhi faced widespread devastation on Saturday. Tragically, an elderly woman named Ranjit Kaur (56) lost her life when her house collapsed in the Karol Bagh area. The incident occurred in two stages, as a portion of her quarter collapsed first, and when she entered to retrieve some belongings, another section caved in, causing her demise. Authorities noted that the quarter was already in a dilapidated condition.

Additionally, the heavy downpour led to the collapse of a boundary wall at Desh Bandhu College in Kalkaji, South Delhi, causing damage to numerous cars.

The incessant rain resulted in severe waterlogging, flooded roads, and overflowing drains, bringing traffic to a complete halt for hours. Motorists and pedestrians encountered immense difficulties maneuvering through waterlogged roads, flyovers, and sidewalks, while local traders struggled to protect their shops from the incursion of rainwater across various areas.

Delhi experienced a record-breaking rainfall of 126.1 mm between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, the highest recorded in a single day since July 10, 2023, when 133.4 mm was registered. It is worth mentioning that the city had previously observed an all-time high of 266.2 mm on July 21, 1958.

This deluge marked the first significant rainfall of the season, prompting the issuance of an “orange” alert for further showers on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also issued a “yellow” alert for Sunday.

The IMD employs four color codes to indicate weather warnings: green (no action required), yellow (stay alert and informed), orange (be prepared), and red (take immediate action).

According to the IMD, the maximum temperature on Saturday was 28.7 degrees Celsius, a significant eight degrees below the seasonal average. Relative humidity fluctuated between 96% and 100%.

The Meteorological Office forecasts a predominantly cloudy sky with moderate to heavy rainfall for Sunday. The expected temperature range is around 30 to 24 degrees Celsius for the maximum and minimum temperatures, respectively.