Torrential rains battered New Delhi on Friday, inundating large parts of the city and causing significant disruption to traffic. The severe downpour also led to the collapse of an abandoned house, trapping three children who were subsequently rescued but sustained injuries. The injured-eight-year-olds Pankaj and Aadi and ten-year-old Dhruv-were swiftly taken to a nearby hospital after locals and a police control room unit rushed to their aid. According to police reports, the incident occurred at around 12:58 PM.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Safdarjung recorded 56.2 mm of rain within a mere three-hour window from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Krishna Mishra, a scientist at the IMD, explained the heavy rainfall pattern for August, linking it to frequent low-pressure systems forming over the Bay of Bengal and moving towards northwest India. Additionally, the monsoon trough has remained close to Delhi for many days this month, contributing to the deluge.
In the wake of the rainfall, the Delhi Traffic Police issued alerts via X (formerly Twitter), warning commuters about road damage beneath the Jamia Nagar metro station and halting traffic between Holy Family Hospital and Jamia Nagar police station. The Public Works Department fielded over 15 reports of waterlogging along with calls about fallen trees from various neighborhoods, including Lajpat Nagar, Janakpuri, and Laxmi Nagar. An official noted calls for assistance from multiple areas, including Jharodha Road, Nirman Vihar, and Mayur Vihar.
With vehicles crawling through flooded streets, commuters faced significant delays throughout the city. The storm has also sparked a political uproar, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticizing what they termed the “failure of the four-engine government.” AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that 35 to 40 lives have been lost to rain-related incidents this monsoon season, reflecting on a past tragedy when three students died in Rajendra Nagar and the lieutenant-governor’s visit to the site. Bhardwaj questioned the absence of official visits following this year’s fatalities, asking, “Are these people not dying?”
In response, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva defended the government’s efforts, stating that agencies under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta have deployed pumps and staff to address drainage issues and combat waterlogging. He labeled the AAP’s accusations as “shameful,” urging them to clarify what steps they have taken over the past decade regarding Delhi’s sewer management system.
As New Delhi grapples with the fallout from severe weather, the intersection of infrastructure, governance, and civic responsibility continues to ignite a heated discourse among residents and officials alike.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/heavy-rain-batters-delhi-3-children-hurt-in-wall-collapse/article69990619.ece
Category : Delhi
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Publish Date: 2025-08-30 01:54:00
