Heavy Rains Likely in Delhi for Next Few Days, Yamuna River Crosses Danger Mark

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Delhi, indicating the likelihood of moderate rainfall on Thursday. Over the next five to six days, intermittent showers are expected, but the intensity is predicted to gradually decrease, according to the Met department.

On Wednesday, parts of Delhi experienced moderate to heavy rainfall, resulting in waterlogging and traffic congestion. The downpour brought the temperature down to 23.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the normal average. The maximum temperature for the day was 31.3 degrees Celsius, which was four degrees lower than the usual.

The city had been facing above-normal temperatures around 38 degrees Celsius in the past few days, causing discomfort for the residents, particularly due to high humidity.

In the last four months, Delhi has recorded above-normal rainfall: 53.2 mm in March (compared to a normal average of 17.4 mm), 20.1 mm in April (compared to an average of 16.3 mm), 111 mm in May (compared to a normal of 30.7 mm), and 101.7 mm in June (compared to a normal of 74.1 mm).

July experienced the highest rainfall in a single day since 1982, with 153 mm of rainfall on July 8 and July 9 due to a combination of a western disturbance, monsoonal winds, and cyclonic circulation over northwest India. The following 24 hours brought an additional 107 mm of rainfall.

At present, the Yamuna river in Delhi has crossed the danger mark of 205.33 meters due to heavy rain in parts of the capital and upper catchment areas. The water level at the Old Railway Bridge (ORB) reached 205.5 meters at 8 pm, and the flow rate at the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana's Yamunanagar varied between 30,000 cusecs and 50,000 cusecs on Wednesday.

Various weather stations in Delhi reported rainfall data: Safdarjung Observatory recorded 37.1 mm, Lodhi Road 35.1 mm, Ayanagar 26 mm, Mungeshpur 53.5 mm, and Mayur Vihar 110.5 mm of precipitation.

On July 13, the Yamuna had reached a level of 208.66 meters, surpassing its previous record of 207.49 meters set in September 1978. This resulted in the breach of embankments and extensive flooding in the city, the worst in over four decades. The floods forced more than 27,000 people to evacuate from their homes, leading to substantial losses in terms of property, businesses, and earnings, amounting to crores of rupees.