Waterlogging, traffic jam: 4 die in first heavy rainfall of monsoon in Delhi

Many residents shared on social media videos and pictures of rainwater gushing into their houses and vehicles wading through waterlogged roads.

The maximum cases of waterlogging were reported from North Delhi Municipal Corporation (36) followed by New Delhi Municipal Council (32) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (30), officials said.

The municipal corporation officials said more than 66 incidents of felling of trees or their branches were reported, in addition to around a dozen wall collapse incidents.

Water-logging was reported from several areas including at Minto Road, Azadpur underpass, South Avenue Road, Pul Prahladpur underpass, Azad Market, Moolchand underpass and near Batra Hospital, according to Delhi Traffic Police.

Water-logging was also reported at Youth Congress office on Raising Road.

At Zakhira, six people stuck inside a bus submerged in water had to be rescued. According to Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg, the firemen could not use a ladder to climb atop the bus and they had to carry people on their backs to safer grounds.

The India Meteorological Department, which had predicted heavy-to-very heavy rainfall over parts of northwest India, said 74.8 mm rainfall was recorded in Delhi till 8:30 am on Sunday. Rainfall recorded below 15mm is considered light, between 15 and 64.5 mm is moderate, and above 64.5mm is heavy.

However, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said "no one had expected" that there would be such heavy rainfall.

In a statement, AAP spokesperson and DJB Vice-Chairperson Raghav Chadha said the water-logging problem has been a huge issue but in the last 2-3 years, after the AAP government came to power, the situation drastically changed.

At a time when all agencies are busy combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unfortunate that the BJP is blaming us for water-logging.