Heavy rainfall caused chaos in Delhi on Wednesday evening, flooding large areas of the city. A 22-year-old woman and her toddler drowned in Ghazipur, while major roads were clogged with traffic, stranding many as streets turned into rivers.

The torrential downpour led the weather office to add Delhi to its “areas of concern” in the National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin. Residents were advised to stay indoors, secure windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel.

Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced that all schools would be closed on Thursday due to the heavy rain and forecast for more. She posted on ‘X’ that both government and private schools would remain closed on August 1st.

In Ghazipur, Tanuja and her three-year-old son Priyansh drowned after slipping into a drain while shopping. The incident happened near Khoda Colony, where the roadside drain was under construction.

The heavy rain also caused a house collapse in north Delhi’s Sabji Mandi area, injuring one person, and a wall collapse in Vasant Kunj, injuring another.

The weather disrupted air traffic, with at least 10 flights diverted due to poor conditions. Airlines warned of potential further disruptions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported significant rainfall, with Safdarjung receiving 79.2 mm, Mayur Vihar 119 mm, Delhi University 77.5 mm, Pusa 66.5 mm, and Palam observatory 43.7 mm between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena asked officials to stay alert and minimize inconvenience, especially in waterlogging-prone areas like coaching centers.

Traffic was especially chaotic on roads in Lutyens’ Delhi and those leading to Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. Old Rajinder Nagar, where students were protesting the death of three UPSC aspirants due to flooding in a coaching institute basement, was knee-deep in water. Connaught Place saw water entering showrooms and restaurants.

The traffic police issued an advisory asking commuters to avoid certain roads and suggesting alternative routes due to widespread waterlogging. Key roads such as Moolchand towards Chirag Delhi, both carriageways on Anuvrat Marg, Outer Ring Road, Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, and Mahatma Gandhi Marg were severely affected.

Multiple areas, including Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, and Pragati Maidan, were heavily flooded. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi received complaints about waterlogging and fallen trees. Power outages were also reported.

In Daryaganj, a school’s boundary wall collapsed onto parked cars, and in Chhatarpur, slippers floated on flooded streets. The Pragati Maidan tunnel, ITO intersection, Dhaula Kuan area, and the road towards the airport also faced significant waterlogging and traffic jams. The Press Club of India was flooded, with photos showing people in knee-deep water.

The BJP criticized the AAP government for negligence and mismanagement, while Atishi stated that the Delhi government and MCD were closely monitoring vulnerable areas.

The IMD has predicted continued rainfall in the city until August 5.

Also read: Holiday for schools and colleges as heavy rains lash Karnataka