3 weeks ago
Delhi Rain Floods Streets, Halts Traffic; IMD Issues Red Alert
It rained a lot in New Delhi, a very big city in India, and the streets filled with water.
The water was so deep in one neighbourhood, called Valmiki Basti, that grown-ups carried schoolchildren across flooded lanes on a big blue plastic sheet, like a raft.
Traffic got stuck on many busy roads because of the water, and some trees even fell down.
The people who live in Valmiki Basti said this problem happens almost every time it rains, and it has been going on for about 60 years.
They say the flooding happens because a drain was never finished and because some farmhouse owners blocked the water from flowing away.
The India Meteorological Department, which watches the weather, told everyone to be extra careful by sending a 'red alert.'
Some people who drive e-rickshaws, which are small electric taxis, said the water hurt their vehicles, caused accidents, and they earned much less money that day.
The weather experts recorded very heavy rain, with more than 111 millimetres falling in one part of the city.
Political parties argued about who was to blame for the flooding and the blocked drains.
The weather experts think lighter rain may continue in Delhi until August 10, so residents are hoping the water will go away soon.
Heavy rain lashed New Delhi on Friday, August 7, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the city.
In Valmiki Basti (Fatehpur Beri), residents carried schoolchildren across waist-deep flooded lanes on a large blue plastic sheet used as a makeshift raft.
Residents said the colony has battled flooding for nearly six decades, blaming an incomplete stormwater drain and alleged downstream encroachments by farmhouse owners.
Waterlogging and tree falls disrupted traffic on roads including the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, ITO, the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and areas around the Red Fort.
E-rickshaw drivers in Shakarpur and Mandawali said submerged potholes caused overturns and cut daily earnings from about Rs 600 to Rs 200-300, as Delhi Congress and AAP blamed the government for the flooding.
- Who
- Residents of Delhi, including those in Valmiki Basti (Fatehpur Beri) and e-rickshaw drivers in Shakarpur and Mandawali; the IMD issued the alert, while Delhi Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) blamed the government for the flooding.
- What
- Heavy monsoon rain flooded low-lying areas, waterlogged roads, downed trees, inundated homes and disrupted traffic across New Delhi.
- Where
- New Delhi, including Fatehpur Beri, Chhatarpur, the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Mahipalpur T-Point, Shakarpur, Okhla and Sangam Vihar.
- When
- Friday, August 7, with rain continuing through the day and light to moderate rain forecast until August 10.
- Why
- Heavy rainfall overwhelmed drainage, with residents blaming an incomplete stormwater drain and alleged downstream encroachments by farmhouse owners for the recurring flooding.
Residents and opposition parties
Farmhouse owners and the government
Cause of recurring flooding in Valmiki Basti
Residents and opposition parties
Residents say an incomplete government drain, allegedly blocked by downstream farmhouse owners, has caused flooding for nearly six decades, with water and sewage collecting over about 70 acres.
Farmhouse owners and the government
The farmhouse owners are not quoted in the articles; residents allege they have blocked the drain, and say the dispute is before the Delhi High Court, with the government reportedly supporting the residents.
Political responsibility for waterlogging
Residents and opposition parties
Delhi Congress leader Mukesh Sharma alleged drain desilting 'existed only on paper' and that the 'triple-engine government' had failed to prevent waterlogging; AAP said the BJP 'never tires of taking credit' for fixing Minto Bridge while ignoring flooding elsewhere.
Farmhouse owners and the government
There was no immediate statement from the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government on the opposition's allegations, according to the article.
Key facts
- IMD alert
- Red alert issued for Delhi; moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning expected
- Highest rainfall
- Pushp Vihar 111.5 mm; Chhatarpur 104.5 mm (8.30 am-5.30 pm)
- Safdarjung rainfall
- 59.2 mm till 8.30 am in one report; 57.3 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm in another (different measurement periods)
- Water depth in Valmiki Basti
- Nearly 5 feet, with water and sewage covering about 70 acres
- Flooding history
- Problem recurring for nearly six decades
- Rain-related complaints
- At least 67, including waterlogging, tree falls and power outages; NDMC logged 34 and PWD 22 waterlogging complaints
- E-rickshaw daily earnings
- Fell from about Rs 600 to Rs 200-300; an overturned lithium-battery e-rickshaw can lose Rs 60,000-80,000
- August rainfall in Delhi
- 127 mm in the first week of August, the wettest first week since 2011
Quotes
E‑rickshaw driver (unnamed)
E‑rickshaw driver in Shakarpur, Delhi
“There is hardly any road in Delhi -- whether in densely populated colonies, residential localities, villages or urban areas -- that is free from waterlogging. The government's repeated claims that Delhi would remain free from waterlogging have proved to be completely hollow.”
telegraphindia.com
“Our earnings have fallen sharply. If we earlier earned Rs 600 in a day, now we earn Rs 200 or Rs 300. Water enters the battery. If an e‑rickshaw overturns, especially one with a lithium battery, the loss can be Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000.”
theprint.in
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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