Delhi Rains Clean The Air Quality To Best Of 2024, Gurugram Faces Major Flooding: 10 Key Updates

Delhi and the National Capital Region have experienced unprecedented rainfall, surpassing annual and seasonal averages, leading to significant traffic disruptions and the cleanest air quality recorded this year.

Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have experienced rainfall this month, particularly since Wednesday night. This has resulted in waterlogging and traffic disruptions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports Delhi has exceeded its annual and seasonal average rainfall for September.

On Friday, Palam recorded 54 mm of rain, while Safdarjung saw 30.9 mm within three hours from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. Gurugram received 18 mm between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, with an additional 4 mm in the preceding 24 hours. The IMD predicts more heavy showers throughout Saturday.

Delhi's Rainfall Exceeds Annual Average

Delhi has surpassed the 1,000 mm rainfall mark this month, the highest since 2021 and the second highest in at least a decade. Typically, Delhi receives around 650 mm during the monsoon season. This September alone, it recorded 125.8 mm of rain, which is 55% higher than normal.

The incessant rain has also led to Delhi experiencing its cleanest air quality of the year so far. The Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 52 following the rain, the lowest recorded this season. Last year, on September 10, the AQI was recorded at 45.

Impact on Traffic and Temperature

The continuous downpour has caused significant waterlogging, closure of underpasses, and traffic snarls across Delhi-NCR. On Friday evening, vehicular movement was choked near Sirhaul border, Rajiv Chowk, Narsinghpur, and other locations towards Delhi.

The city's maximum temperature dropped to 27.6 degrees Celsius on Friday - six notches below normal. The IMD expects the minimum temperature to settle at 21 degrees Celsius on Saturday, with a maximum of around 32 degrees Celsius.

Flight Operations and Safety Advisories

Due to bad weather on Friday, a flight was diverted at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. However, officials stated that overall flight operations were not significantly impacted.

The IMD has issued an 'orange' alert for Saturday, predicting heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning in Delhi. They have advised people to check for traffic congestion before leaving their homes and follow any traffic advisories issued.

Gurugram Faces Severe Waterlogging

Heavy rainfall on Friday caused severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in several parts of Gurugram including Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, and IFFCO Chowk. Traffic moved slowly on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway for about three kilometres on both main lanes and service lanes heading towards Delhi.

A senior traffic police officer reported that subways for non-motorized transport (NMT) and pedestrians were closed due to heavy rain. The officer also mentioned that vehicular movement was severely affected near key areas like the Sirhaul border and Rajiv Chowk.

The IMD continues to monitor weather conditions closely as more heavy showers are expected over the weekend. Residents are advised to stay updated with weather forecasts and take necessary precautions during this period of intense rainfall.