Heavy rains flood Delhi, thousands displaced

New Delhi: Heavy showers lashed Delhi-NCR once again on Wednesday afternoon, worsening the flood situation in several parts of the region. The downpour caused rivers and streams, already in spate, to swell further, pushing the Yamuna’s water level higher and leaving large parts of the city waterlogged.

Commuters struggled on key routes as many roads turned into pools of water, bringing traffic to a crawl. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain-and-thunder alert for the city and predicted no immediate respite. Rainy conditions are likely to persist till September 6, followed by cloudy skies on September 7 and 8.

Several low-lying areas of Delhi are now under water. Officials said the Yamuna has flooded up to 10 feet in some parts, displacing nearly 15,000 people. If the river rises further, the floodwaters could reach the Ring Road, creating more chaos for residents.

The Irrigation Minister, who inspected the ITO Barrage, said efforts are underway to control the situation and expressed hope that the water level would begin to recede by Wednesday night. Relief camps have been set up in Yamuna Khadar and Mayur Vihar Phase-1, while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has intensified rescue operations.

NDRF Commandant Gyaneshwar Singh said multiple teams have been working on the ground since Tuesday night. “People from low-lying areas are being shifted to safer places. Four teams are currently deployed here, while 14-18 more remain on standby,” he said. A section of the Mungeshpur drain in Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar district, Haryana) collapsed, sending floodwaters rushing into villages and unauthorised colonies near the Delhi border. The sudden breach triggered a late-night rescue operation, with around 2,000 people evacuated from their homes and shifted to temporary shelters.