Delhi rains: 3 children rescued from bus stuck in underpass; IMD issues yellow alert

Three children were rescued from a school bus which got stuck in the waterlogged Minto Bridge underpass in northwest Delhi on Tuesday (August 20) following morning rain, officials said.

An autorickshaw was also stuck in the underpass, they said.

According to the officials, no one was injured in any of the incidents as rescue teams quickly reached the spot. The water is being pumped out, an official said.

The Minto Bridge underpass is infamous for waterlogging during monsoon. In July 2020, a man drowned after his mini-truck got stuck in the underpass.

Large parts of city flooded, traffic disrupted

Rains lashed Delhi on Tuesday morning, leaving large parts of the city waterlogged and disrupting traffic movement.

The downpour led to traffic congestion in many areas, with the Delhi Traffic Police advising commuters to take alternate routes.

"Traffic is disrupted on Minto Road due to waterlogging under Minto Bridge, with diversions at Connaught Place Outer Circle and Minto Road. Commuters are advised to use alternate routes such as JLN Marg, Barakhamba Road, and Ranjeet Singh Marg," it said in a post while sharing a picture of a road submerged in water.

"Traffic is affected on Rohtak Road in the carriageway from Nangloi towards Tikri Border and vice versa due to potholes and waterlogging. Kindly avoid Mundka and take alternate routes accordingly," the traffic police said.

Traffic was affected on several roads, including Nigam Bodh Ghat, Chatta Rail Chowk, Mangi Bridge, Mundka, IP Marg, Minto Bridge, and Rohtak Road in the carriageway from Nangloi towards Tikri Border and vice versa, along with other locations, according to the traffic police.

IMD data

During the early hours, downtown Ridge recorded 72.4 mm of rainfall, while Safdarjung, the city's primary weather station, recorded 28.7 mm, Lodi Road recorded 25.6 mm, and Ayanagar recorded 2.2 mm, according to data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Southwesterly winds are feeding moisture from the Arabian Sea into the monsoon trough, which is passing through Delhi. Additionally, cold, dry air associated with a localised, weak western disturbance has interacted with warm, moist monsoonal winds, resulting in the intense early morning showers in Delhi according to the IMD.

Yellow alert

The IMD has issued a 'yellow' alert (be aware) for the city. A yellow alert indicates bad weather conditions and the possibility that these conditions may worsen, causing disruptions to daily life for the next three days.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 23.8 degrees Celsius, 2.7 notches below normal, according to the weather department. The humidity level stood at 100 per cent at 5.30 pm.

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 34 degrees Celsius.

Safdarjung, the city's primary weather station, recorded 268 mm of rainfall in August, which is 70 percent above normal, according to the IMD.

(With agency inputs)