New Delhi, August 14 (HS): A deluge across Delhi-NCR on Thursday morning brought parts of the region to a standstill, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to escalate its earlier yellow alert to a red alert for the entire day.

The downpour, which began around 5:00 a.m., quickly led to waterlogging in key areas of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram, and other parts of the National Capital Region. Gurugram’s Basai Road was among the worst hit, with knee‑deep water severely disrupting traffic during morning rush hour.

More Heavy Rain on the Horizon

In its morning bulletin, the IMD warned of light to moderate showers across most of Delhi-NCR over the next two to three hours, with isolated spells of heavy rain expected. Forecasters also cautioned that the rain is likely to persist throughout the day, urging residents to remain vigilant.

Heavy rainfall warnings have also been extended to Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, northern Madhya Pradesh, and western Uttar Pradesh in the coming hours.

Rainfall Already Nearing Annual Average

According to IMD data released on August 11, Delhi has received over 706 mm of rain this year — already 91% of the city’s annual average of 774.4 mm — with over four months still remaining in 2025.

The red alert remains in force until August 17, with Thursday’s minimum temperature expected to hover around 26.2°C.

Authorities have advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel, steer clear of low‑lying areas prone to flooding, and follow official advisories as the monsoon continues to batter the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar