IMD issues red, orange alerts as heavy rain paralyses Delhi-NCR; WFH, school updates inside
Heavy rainfall lashed Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday morning, bringing much-needed relief from the recent spell of heat and humidity while triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls and travel disruptions across several parts of the region.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Delhi under an Orange Alert and neighbouring districts under a Red Alert, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds.
According to the IMD, Delhi's maximum temperature is expected to remain around 27 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to hover near 26 degrees Celsius.
The weather department has also forecast continued rainfall across the region over the next few days.
Private weather agency Skymet has warned that parts of East Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Baghpat and Meerut could receive between 180 mm and 250 mm of rainfall over the next 24 hours.
Central Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad and nearby areas are likely to receive between 80 mm and 150 mm of rainfall, raising concerns over further waterlogging and traffic disruptions.
School closure update for Friday
Amid the worsening weather, Ghaziabad district administration has declared a holiday for all schools, from Classes 1 to 12, across every education board on Thursday.
As of now, no city-wide closure has been announced for schools in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram or Faridabad for Friday.
Authorities in these districts are closely monitoring the rainfall situation and are expected to take a decision based on weather conditions.
Parents and students have been advised to check official notifications issued by the Directorate of Education or respective district administrations before leaving for school.
The downpour severely affected traffic movement across Delhi-NCR. Waterlogging was reported near New Delhi Railway Station, Munirka, and several low-lying stretches of the capital.
In Gurugram, slow-moving traffic was witnessed on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway near Narsinghpur, Basai, Kadipur, Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, Sector-10A, and Sohna Road.
To ease congestion, Gurugram Police advised private companies to allow employees to work from home for the next two days wherever feasible. Heavy rain also impacted travel to Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, urged passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and keep additional travel time in mind due to waterlogged roads and traffic delays.
While flight operations continue, commuters may experience delays reaching the airport. The IMD has forecast rain and thunderstorms across Delhi-NCR until July 13, with the heaviest showers expected on July 10 and July 11.
Wind speeds of up to 50 kmph are also likely during this period before rainfall gradually eases over the weekend.