Heavy Rainfall Lashes Delhi-NCR. Airport Waterlogged, Flights Cancelled

Senior India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Dr R.K. Jenamani said Delhi received the highest 24-hour rainfall this year in 121 years.

Commuters wade through a waterlogged area following heavy rains in New Delhi. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Heavy rains lashed the national capital on Saturday morning, leaving the Delhi airport’s forecourt and other parts of the city waterlogged.

Senior India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Dr R.K. Jenamani said Delhi received the highest 24-hour rainfall this year in 121 years.

READ: Delhi Airport Inundated As National Capital Records Highest Rainfall In Last 46 Years

“It has received 390 mm rainfall in September - the highest in 77 years, after 417 mm in September 1944. Delhi has recorded 1,139 mm rainfall in four months, which is the highest in 46 years, below 1,155 mm in 1975,” he added, ANI reported.

The Delhi Airport said the passengers encountered waterlogging for a short while due to heavy downpour, adding the operations are back to normal.

“Due to heavy downpour passengers encountered waterlogging for a short while. The on-ground team was immediately mobilized and the operations are back to normal since 9 am. @JM_Scindia @MoCA_GoI,” the Delhi Airport tweeted.

Several areas, including Vikas Marg, Sangam Vihar, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Rohtak Road, Badarpur, Som Vihar, RK Puram, Munirka, Rajpur Khurd, Nangloi, Hari Nagar, Pul Prahladpur Underpass, Madhu Vihar and Moti Bagh also witnessed waterlogging.

The Public Works Department (PWD) officials said “our staff is present round the clock to monitor the situation”.

“Due to heavy rain in the early morning (on Saturday), waterlogging occurred at a number of places. We are tackling those issues on priority,” said a PWD official, PTI reported.

The Delhi Traffic Police also posted tweets informing the people about the stretches where they are expected to witness waterlogging.

“Traffic Alert This to inform that near about T point of road number 210 and 224 near DJB booster pump Dwarka, there is heavy water logging due to overflow of drain and rain. commuters informed to avoid the stretch  until situation is normal,” the Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet earlier in the day.

Delhi airport waterlogged, flights cancelled:

At least three flights were cancelled and five diverted to Jaipur and Ahmedabad after the Delhi Airport’s forecourt was waterlogged as heavy rains lashed the national capital early Saturday morning.

Four domestic flights -- two of SpiceJet and one each of IndiGo and Go First -- were diverted to Jaipur. One international flight -- Emirates flight from Dubai to Delhi -- was diverted to Ahmedabad, the sources mentioned, PTI reported.

Sources added that three IndiGo flights, which were scheduled to depart from Delhi, were cancelled due to bad weather.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia earlier in the day tweeted that he spoke to airport officials and “was told that the waterlogged forecourt was cleared up within 30 minutes”.

“Got in touch with the officials at the airport, and was told that the waterlogged forecourt was cleared up within 30 minutes,” he posted on the micro-blogging platform.

The Aerocity area near the airport was also waterlogged in the morning with the people trying to maneuver their cars through the accumulated water.

40 passengers rescued from bus trapped at waterlogged underpass after rains:

At least 40 passengers, including women and children, travelling in a private bus, which was trapped at a waterlogged underpass here following heavy rains, were rescued by the Delhi Fire Services, the officials said.

The bus, which was going to Mathura, got stuck at the underpass of Palam flyover, they added.

The officials further said the Delhi Fire Services received a call seeking assistance at 11:30 a.m. after which two fire tenders were pressed into service.

“A bus with passengers onboard got trapped at an underpass of the Palam flyover due to waterlogging. Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot and all the passengers were rescued safely,” Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg said, PTI reported.