Fresh Rain a Blessing to Some, Disastrous for Others

The unabating spell of light to moderate rain swamped Delhi for the second consecutive day on Thursday, resulting to flooded roads in several areas and affecting traffic movement on major roads across the city.

Schools are shut in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Gurugram, where private and corporate offices have been asked to work from home day after incessant rain yesterday. Parts of Delhi are flooded.

At least Thirteen people have been killed and Eleven injured in incidents of lightning, and wall and house collapses as heavy rains in parts of Uttar Pradesh affected normal life in Firozabad and forced the closure of schools in Aligarh, news agency PTI reported.

Delhi received 40.8 mm of rainfall from 5.30 pm on Thursday to 8.30 am on Friday as the light to moderate rain drenched Delhi for the third consecutive day today, resulting to flooded roads in several areas and affecting traffic movement on major roads across the city.

The weather department has predicted more rains for the national capital on Friday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘yellow alert’, cautioning people about moderate rain at most places in the city.

All government and private schools till class 8 across Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar will remain closed today due to rains, an official order announced on Thursday. The order was issued following an alert by the weather department warning of heavy rain.

The daylong rains in the millennium city home to big corporate houses, led to waterlogging, crawling traffic on main roads and the expressway also causing power outages in several areas.

The authority also advised to close all schools and colleges on Friday in the larger public interest.

According to the district administration Gurugram on Thursday received 54 mm of rainfall, with Wazirabad receiving the maximum 60 mm. The rainfall in other parts such as  Manesar was recorded at 50 mm, Sohna 43 mm, Harsar 54 mm, Badshahpur 30 mm, Pataudi 20 mm and Farrukhnagar 29 mm till 5 pm were as follows.

The fresh spells of rain, just before the withdrawal of monsoon from the National Capital Region, will help cover the large deficit to some extent. It would also keep the air clean and the temperature in check.

The withdrawal of southwest monsoon is declared if there has been no rainfall in the region for five days along with the development of anti-cyclonic circulation and water vapour imagery indicates dry weather conditions over the region.