An unusual weather phenomenon occurred in Delhi on Saturday, with a maximum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius—Delhi recorded its coolest August day in 34 Years, since 1991. A rare break from the city’s usually oppressive summer heat was provided by this incredible temperature dip, which was also the sixth lowest high for the month in recorded history. August 9, 1976, still holds the record for the lowest August temperature ever, at 25.3 degrees Celsius. Following a period of unrelenting rain that started on the evening of Raksha Bandhan, the unusually chilly day changed the streets and residential areas of the city, causing both relief and disturbance to its citizens.

Heavy Rainfall and Widespread Waterlogging

Heavy rains that started Friday evening and lasted into Saturday caused Delhi recorded its coolest August day in 34 Years. Safdarjung received 78.7 mm of rain in the 24 hours that ended at 8:30 am, compared to 100 mm in Pragati Maidan, 80 mm in Lodhi Road, 69 mm in Pusa, and 31.8 mm in Palam. At Safdarjung, an extra 25.9 mm was measured from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Major roadways were flooded, and residential complexes were transformed into virtual swimming pools as the rainstorm overtook Delhi’s infrastructure. Severe waterlogging occurred in places including Mathura Road, Anand Parbat, New Rohtak Road, Zakhira Railway Underpass, and Ring Road.

Additionally, potholes and uprooted trees made it difficult to go about. There were severe traffic delays at key intersections, including the Pragati Maidan Tunnel, Dhaula Kuan, ITO, and Sarai Kale Khan, and the Zakhira Underpass was temporarily blocked due to flooding. After receiving at least 30 complaints about waterlogging, the Public Works Department sent out quick-response teams equipped with pumps to remove the water, including reopening an underpass close to Mathura Road after it had been closed for two hours.

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Traffic Chaos and Response Measures

Delhi experienced severe traffic congestion due to the intense downpour. Significant areas were congested with cars negotiating flooded roads, such as Jahangirpuri, Adarsh Nagar, Panchkuian Marg, RK Puram, Moti Bagh, and the vicinity of New Delhi Railway Station. In a series of cautions on X, the Delhi Traffic Police urged commuters to stay away from the impacted areas and take the Metro instead. To control the commotion, detours were put in place at Ram Bagh Road, Azad Market Railway Underpass, and other flooded areas.

While a respite from the heat, the combination of chilly weather and heavy rains highlighted the city’s persistent challenges with infrastructure resilience and urban floods, leading to calls for better drainage systems and readiness for extreme weather events.

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