Swelled-up streams of murky brown water replaced roads in Delhi, with buses and cars appearing in varying states of levitation and submersion, videos showed, as heavy rain battered the national capital for the second day.
An interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall.
Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in 24 hours ending 8:30 on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department said. It was the third-highest single-day rainfall for July since 1958, it added.
According to the weather office, rainfall below 15 mm is considered "light", 15 mm to 64.5 mm is "moderate", 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm is "heavy", and 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm is "very heavy".
Pictures and videos of commuters wading through knee-deep water flooded social media platforms, raising concerns about the efficiency of the city's drainage infrastructure. They further showed submerged parks, underpasses, markets and even hospital premises.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has cancelled the Sunday leave of all government officials and instructed them to be on the field.
Delhi Cabinet ministers and Mayor Shelly Oberoi will be inspecting the "problem areas" in the city, said the Chief Minister.
The weather office has issued a forecast of high-intensity rain for 2-3 days in Delhi.
The key Pragati Maidan and Minto Road underpasses were closed for vehicular movement due to waterlogging.
Motorists and pedestrians had a hard time navigating waterlogged roads, flyovers and footpaths, while traders faced trouble stopping the rain water entering their shops in several areas.
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