New Delhi, Aug 24: Heavy rains lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR on Monday, causing severe waterlogging and disrupting air traffic, while flood-like conditions in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh triggered alerts and left several people dead or missing.
At Delhi airport, 15 flights were diverted, while 26 were reportedly cancelled and around 250 delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
Several parts of the national capital witnessed severe waterlogging, with Sangam Vihar, Durga Vihar and Connaught Place inundated with up to 3-4 feet of water. Water entered homes and shops, while several vehicles were stranded on waterlogged roads.
The weather situation also remained grim in Uttar Pradesh, where 19 districts are facing flood-like conditions.
In Varanasi, the police post at Dashashwamedh Ghat was submerged as the Ganga continued to rise. In Prayagraj, the crematorium at Daraganj Ghat was inundated, forcing people to carry out cremations on the streets.
Heavy rainfall also lashed the Jabalpur, Chambal and Narmadapuram divisions of Madhya Pradesh. In Ashoknagar, a young man was swept away along with his motorcycle amid strong currents.
A red rain alert has been issued for 22 districts of Madhya Pradesh, amid forecasts of continued heavy rainfall.
Chhattisgarh also reported rain-related incidents and casualties. In Mungeli, a woman was struck by lightning and died on the spot. In Bilaspur, three children returning home from school were swept away by the Ghongha River, while in Balrampur, a young man was swept away by strong currents while attempting to cross the Kanhar River.
The weather department has forecast more heavy rainfall across several states over the next two days.
On August 25, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at some places in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, while heavy rain may occur in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds of 30-40 kmph are likely in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim. Strong winds of 40-50 kmph may also occur in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
On August 26, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at some places in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, with heavy rain expected in several northeastern, eastern and central states.
A lightning warning has also been issued for Assam-Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, indicating continued risk of severe weather in the affected regions.
