Severe Rainfall Hits Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, Alerts Issued

On Tuesday, several areas in the capital experienced intense rainfall, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the city for the next few hours. Dark clouds loomed over the sky since morning, leading to light to heavy rain across Delhi. Reports of waterlogging and traffic congestion emerged from various locations in the city. The weather department predicts that the clouds will persist, with light rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds expected in the coming hours. According to the IMD, as of 8:30 AM, Safdarjung recorded 32.4 mm of rain, followed by 37.6 mm at Ridge, 36.7 mm at Lodhi Road, 4.0 mm at Ayanagar, and 0.8 mm at Palam.

From 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on Monday, Ridge recorded 19.4 mm of rain, while Lodhi Road saw 11.5 mm, Safdarjung 8.0 mm, and Ayanagar 3.8 mm, with no rainfall reported at Palam during this period. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung was noted at 25.5 degrees Celsius, which is 1.8 degrees below normal. The Central Pollution Control Board reported that the capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 77 at 9 AM, categorizing it as 'satisfactory.' The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500, with 0-50 being 'good,' 51-100 'satisfactory,' 101-200 'moderate,' 201-300 'poor,' 301-400 'very poor,' and 401-500 'severe.'

Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, moderate to heavy rainfall was reported in several areas, including the capital, Shimla. The Chamba district faced significant damage due to landslides, burying around a dozen vehicles and several houses under debris. According to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), heavy rainfall on Monday evening caused flash floods and landslides, resulting in the closure of 108 roads and affecting 38 drinking water schemes and nine transformers. The weather department has issued warnings for potential moderate flooding in seven out of twelve districts over the next 24 hours, including Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan.

The IMD has issued an 'orange alert' for heavy to very heavy rainfall in four to five districts of Himachal Pradesh until July 30 and again on August 3. The IMD uses a color-coded system for weather alerts: green (no action needed), yellow (monitoring required), orange (be prepared), and red (action needed). An 'orange alert' indicates potential power outages and possible disruptions in transport, rail, road, and air travel. A 'red alert' signifies the need for immediate action due to severe weather conditions that could disrupt transport and power supply, posing a threat to public safety.