IMD Issues Red Alert for Next 12 Hours, People Advised to Stay Indoors

Heavy rain continued across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday morning after hours of overnight showers. Many roads in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram were covered with water, leading to long traffic jams and slow movement of vehicles.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for all parts of Delhi, warning of very heavy rain. Orange alerts remain in place for Ghaziabad, Noida, Meerut, and Gurugram, where more rain is expected through the day.

Weather Experts Warn of More Heavy Rain

Weather observers tracking the monsoon system say the rain may become stronger over the next several hours.

Independent weather analyst Navdeep Dahiya said on social media that Delhi-NCR is likely to see a very heavy spell of rain during the next 24 hours because of an active low-pressure system.

He said the period until late Thursday evening will be the most important. Light and moderate rain is expected to continue, along with many spells of heavy showers.

According to his forecast, East NCR, covering Noida, Ghaziabad, North Delhi, and East Delhi, could receive nearly 200 mm of rain. Central, West, and South Delhi, along with Faridabad, may record between 100 mm and 150 mm. Gurugram could receive between 70 mm and 150 mm.

He also advised people to avoid going outside unless it is necessary, as many roads are likely to remain waterlogged, especially in East NCR and nearby parts of Delhi.

Another Weather Page Gives Similar Forecast

Weather page India Skymet Weather has also warned of a strong spell of rain across Delhi-NCR.

According to its update, a low-pressure system moving along the monsoon trough is expected to keep affecting the region through the day. Strong rain clouds may bring continuous heavy showers.

The page estimated that East Delhi, East NCR, Noida, Ghaziabad, Baghpat, and Meerut could receive between 180 mm and 250 mm of rainfall during the next 24 hours.

IMD Issues Red and Orange Alerts

The IMD placed all districts of Delhi under a red alert on Thursday morning due to the risk of very heavy rainfall.

At the same time, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), and Gurugram remain under an orange alert for thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rain.

The weather department also said rain is likely to continue across Delhi-NCR over the next few days. People have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, keep checking official weather updates, and remain careful because of waterlogging and traffic delays.

Waterlogging Brings Traffic to a Crawl

The heavy rain has affected traffic across many parts of Delhi-NCR, with Gurugram seeing some of the worst conditions. Several private companies have asked employees to work from home.

Major roads in Gurugram remained flooded on Wednesday and Thursday. Traffic moved very slowly on roads near Narsinghpur, Basai, Kadipur, Sohna Road, and the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane. Several vehicles broke down after getting stuck in water, leaving many commuters waiting for hours.

Officials said teams from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), traffic police, and other departments are working to clear flooded roads and manage traffic.

Waterlogging has been reported in Sectors 31 and 39, Sheetla Mata Mandir Road, Sector 10A, Pataudi Road, Basai Road, Kadipur, and Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, among other places.

Rainfall Recorded Across Delhi-NCR

Rainfall data released by the IMD for the period between 8:30 am on July 8 and 6:00 am on July 9 showed heavy rain across many parts of the region.

In Delhi, Mehrauli received the highest rainfall at 83 mm. Lodi Road recorded 79 mm, followed by Pusa (73 mm), Chhatarpur (68 mm), Mayur Vihar (66 mm), Janakpuri (62 mm), Narayana (57 mm), Pragati Maidan (46 mm), Najafgarh (42 mm), Mungeshpur (40 mm), Jharoda Kalan (33 mm), and Jafarpur (6 mm).

In the NCR, Kamla Nehru Nagar in Ghaziabad received the highest rainfall at 143 mm, while Hindon recorded 53 mm. Gurugram saw lower rainfall, with North CAP University recording 27 mm and KVK recording 21 mm during the same period.

With the red alert continuing in Delhi and orange alerts in nearby districts, officials have warned that heavy rain, waterlogged roads, and traffic problems are likely to continue through the day.