Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed a crippling traffic situation during the evening rush hour on Tuesday, as heavy rainfall, brought on by the aftereffects of Cyclone Yagi, led to widespread disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier forecast rain for Tuesday and Wednesday, attributing it to a depression moving northwest from Jharkhand. The downpour provided much-needed respite from the city’s sweltering conditions but led to severe traffic jams across key areas, including Noida and Gurgaon. The IMD issued a yellow alert, cautioning residents about the slippery roads, reduced visibility, and potential flooding in low-lying areas.
The city’s weather conditions have been highly volatile, with the maximum temperature recorded at 34.8 degrees Celsius, slightly above the norm, while the minimum settled at 24.4 degrees Celsius, below the seasonal average. Notably, Delhi had already surpassed its annual average rainfall by early September, with total precipitation crossing the 1,000 mm threshold. Despite this excess rainfall, the rains caused more problems than relief, as the city’s infrastructure struggled to handle the waterlogging and congestion, leading to major traffic gridlocks, particularly during rush hours.
As Cyclone Yagi continues its northwest trajectory, the IMD has also issued an orange alert for heavy rain in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have advised residents in these regions to brace for potential disruptions, including waterlogging and road blockages. Meanwhile, for Delhi, the heavy downpours, combined with ongoing infrastructure challenges, underscored the city’s need for improved drainage and better traffic management to handle such weather events more efficiently. The combination of weather-related chaos and urban congestion has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Delhi’s transport network during extreme weather conditions.
