Rains: Holiday Declared For Schools In Delhi, Noida, Gurugram

All schools in Delhi and its adjoining NCR cities of Gurugram and Noida have been closed for Monday in view of heavy rains in the region, according to officials. In Ghaziabad, schools will remain closed for two more days due to rains and thereafter till July 17 due to kanwar yatra.

Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in 24 hours ending 8:30 on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department said.

"In view of the torrential rains lashing Delhi for the last 2 days and warnings from the Meteorological Department, all schools in Delhi are being closed for a day tomorrow," Kejriwal said on Twitter. Most parts of north and northwest India, including the national capital region, received torrential rains from Saturday, leading to waterlogging, flash floods, house collapses and human fatalities.

"In view of the torrential rains since Friday and the Orange Alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is directed that all government and private schools shall remain closed for students on July 10 (Monday). Students must be informed, well in advance, about the holiday so that they do not venture out," a circular from Directorate of Education (DoE) said.

"All HoSs and teachers shall come to schools as usual. All offices shall also be working," the statement added.

The schools will remain closed on Monday in neighbouring Noida and Greater Noida also. "Keeping in view the heavy rains in the district, on July 10, classes from 1 to 12 in all schools of all the boards of the district will remain closed," Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma tweeted.

Heavy rainfall led to severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in several parts of Gurugram with the administration advising corporate houses to work from home on Monday and schools to announce a holiday. "All Government and Private Schools (including Play schools etc.) falling in Gurugram district are hereby directed to remain closed tomorrow i.e. on 10th July in larger public interest and for safety & security of the students," District Collector and Chairman of District Disaster Management Authority Nishant Kumar Yadav said in an order.

In Ghaziabad, schools and colleges have been closed till Tuesday due to rains. However, they won't open before July 17, with the district administration announcing their closure till July 15, Saturday, due to the expected arrival of a large number of 'kanwar' pilgrims.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cancelled the Sunday leave of all government officials and instructed them to be on the field.

He also said Delhi Cabinet ministers and Mayor Shelly Oberoi will be inspecting the "problem areas" on the city.

In a tweet in Hindi, Kejriwal said, "Yesterday, Delhi received 126 mm of rainfall. Fifteen per cent of the total rainfall that Delhi gets every monsoon was received in just 12 hours. People were severely affected due to waterlogging.

"Today, all the ministers of Delhi and the mayor will carry out an inspection of problem areas. Directions have been issued to all officers to be on the ground and their Sunday off has been cancelled," he said.

An interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall.