Rainstorm Triggers Emergencies, Fire Service Rescues in Delhi

Friday’s rainstorm unleashed a cascade of emergencies across Delhi and the surrounding NCR. The Indian Meteorological Department classified the precipitation as moderate to heavy, with forecasts indicating a tapering off by Saturday and only light showers expected over the next two days.

The most severe inundation was recorded on MB Road in South Delhi, where water levels near the Air Force Station rose to about four feet, immobilising vehicles and creating a bottleneck that extended to nearby localities such as Okhla Mor, Khanpur, Devli, Ambedkar Nagar and Sangam Vihar. Motorists were forced to abandon their journeys, and several two‑wheelers and auto‑rickshaws halted as the streets turned into shallow streams. Air Force trucks were deployed to assist stranded commuters in the worst‑affected zones.

Traffic on major corridors—including ITO, Patel Road, Rohatka Road, Vijayabadi Road, Kirti Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, the Delhi‑Jaipur Highway and the area surrounding Badarpur Border Metro Station—slowed dramatically. Flooded subways and underground passages added to the commuter’s woes.

The Delhi Fire Service reported nine houses collapsing under the weight of water and sixteen incidents of falling trees. In a notable rescue, firefighters extracted three women from a home that had been struck by a tree, with no injuries reported.

Rainfall measurements peaked at 59.2 mm in Safdarjung and 60.4 mm on Lodhi Road, while the Ridge logged 57 mm. The deluge also impacted neighboring cities. In Noida, water‑filled underpasses caused a massive jam, trapping an ambulance for over thirty minutes near the Mahamaya flyover. In Gurugram, floodwater entered the Civil Hospital’s basement, forcing a temporary suspension of services.