New Delhi: Delhi witnessed heavy early morning rainfall on Wednesday (July 23), leading to widespread waterlogging and traffic congestion in several parts of the city. While the showers offered much-needed respite from the lingering humidity, they also disrupted the morning commute for many residents.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms through the day.
Continuous rainfall since last night has caused severe traffic congestion across Delhi-NCR, particularly affecting commuters traveling from Noida to Delhi. Key areas including DND Flyway, Film City, and Sector 36 are witnessing slow-moving traffic, largely due to waterlogging along the roads and stalled two-wheelers creating bottlenecks. Visuals from the ground show difficult driving conditions, while bikers and pedestrians alike are struggling to navigate through water-clogged stretches.
A brief spell of rain on Wednesday morning was enough to throw life out of gear in the heart of Delhi. Severe waterlogging and traffic jams were reported right behind the Delhi Secretariat, causing major inconvenience to office-goers during peak hours. Commuters were seen struggling to wade through flooded streets, with many vehicles breaking down due to water accumulation.
Eyewitnesses reported that an auto-rickshaw broke down in the water, while several cars stalled in the affected area. Locals expressed frustration over the lack of drainage and the impact of even short-duration rain on city infrastructure. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Delhi, warning of heavy rainfall and urging residents to remain cautious.
Torrential rain since early morning across Delhi-NCR has led to major traffic chaos, with Ghaziabad’s elevated road witnessing a massive 8-kilometre-long traffic jam that has persisted for over three hours. Continuous rainfall in Ghaziabad has resulted in severe waterlogging, particularly near Ghazipur, which is being cited as the primary cause of the congestion. Commuters traveling from Ghaziabad to Delhi and Noida remain stuck in the gridlock.
Alarmingly, an ambulance is also reported to be trapped in the jam, further intensifying the urgency of the situation. The traffic bottleneck, which began around 8 AM, continues to cause widespread frustration among commuters battling both the weather and stalled movement.
According to the IMD, Delhi is likely to experience continued rain until July 28, with temperatures ranging between 23°C and 36°C. Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected to persist over the next several days, maintaining cloudy conditions throughout the week.
The IMD has also forecast significant rainfall activity across various regions of the country in the coming days-
South India: Isolated heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (with very heavy rain on July 23), and Yanam between July 23 and 28.
West India: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over Konkan & Goa and the Ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra from July 23 to 28. Marathwada is likely to see heavy showers on July 26, while Gujarat may receive intense rain from July 26–28.
Central and East India: Regions like Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand are all expected to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall during the week.
North India: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will likely witness significant rainfall from July 23–28, with very heavy rain on July 23. Rain is also expected in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during the same period.
The IMD has warned of strong surface winds (40-50 kmph) over South Peninsular India for the next five days. Additionally, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely across many parts of the Western Himalayan region and scattered areas of the plains.
Authorities across multiple states have been advised to stay alert and take precautionary measures as India braces for a prolonged spell of monsoon activity.
