Heavy Rain Causes Waterlogging and Traffic Disruptions in Delhi

Heavy rainfall in Delhi on August 5 resulted in extensive waterlogging, causing major traffic disruptions across the city. Key roads were submerged, leading to slow-moving vehicles and significant delays. The Municipal Corporation reported multiple incidents of fallen trees and numerous complaints of flooding from various neighborhoods. Weather forecasts predict continued moderate rainfall in the coming days. Despite the rain, Delhi's air quality remained satisfactory. This article explores the impact of the rain on daily life in the capital and what residents can expect in the near future.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 5, 2026, 23:17 IST

Severe Waterlogging in the Capital

On Wednesday, August 5, heavy rainfall in the national capital led to significant waterlogging in various areas, making travel difficult and causing prolonged disruptions in movement. Many roads were submerged, resulting in slow traffic on major routes across the city.

Traffic congestion was particularly severe on the Mahrauli-Badarpur Road. Areas such as ITO, Mathura Road, Lodhi Road, parts of Lutyens' Delhi, Rohtak Road, Shankar Road-Kirti Nagar stretch, the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway, Madhuban Chowk, Peeragarhi, and Shaheen Bagh also experienced sluggish traffic. Several regions in East Delhi were similarly affected.

In neighborhoods like GT Road, Loni Road, Jhilmil, GTV Enclave, and Dilshad Garden, vehicles moved at a crawl due to accumulated rainwater. Reports of waterlogging were received from multiple locations, including the Mahrauli-Badarpur Road, where water remained for several hours.

Waterlogging was also reported in parts of Sangam Vihar and South Puri, with some areas in South Delhi experiencing flood-like conditions. Central Delhi saw similar reports of water accumulation, with the gallery of Safdarjung Hospital flooded after the rain.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), three incidents of fallen trees were reported between 6 AM and 2 PM on Wednesday. The MCD control room received ten complaints of waterlogging between 2 PM and 6 PM, with five complaints each from central and southern regions. Many residents shared videos and photos of flooded streets on social media, highlighting issues in CR Park, Sangam Vihar, Lodhi Road, and other areas.

From 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, the main weather station at Safdarjung recorded 15.6 millimeters (mm) of rain, while Lodhi Road saw 38.7 mm. During the same period, Palam recorded 1.4 mm and Ayanagar 0.2 mm. In the previous 24 hours, up to 8:30 AM, Safdarjung had 10.8 mm, Ayanagar 49.3 mm, Palam 8.3 mm, Lodhi Road 3.9 mm, and Ridge 3.0 mm of rainfall.

The maximum temperatures recorded were 32.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, 31.0 degrees Celsius at Palam, 32.8 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, 34.0 degrees Celsius at Ridge, and 30.5 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar. These figures were below normal by 1.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, 3.4 degrees Celsius at Palam, 0.2 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, normal at Ridge, and 3.5 degrees Celsius below normal at Ayanagar. Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Skymet Weather, indicated that moderate rainfall is expected in Delhi and surrounding areas over the next two to three days due to several weather systems.

The India Meteorological Department has forecasted generally cloudy skies and moderate rainfall for Thursday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected around 32 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius, respectively. A 'Yellow Alert' has been issued for the national capital.

On Wednesday, Delhi's air quality remained in the satisfactory category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 69 recorded at 4 PM. Throughout August, the city's air quality has consistently been satisfactory. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between 51 and 100 is considered satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and 401-500 is severe.