Monsoon havoc: Delhi on red alert as heavy rain floods roads; Gujarat, Maharashtra battle rising waters

Heavy monsoon rain disrupted normal life across several parts of India on Thursday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for Delhi after overnight showers triggered widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls and tree falls. Gujarat and Maharashtra also witnessed severe rain-related disruption, prompting rescue operations and heightened surveillance in vulnerable areas.

The IMD issued a red alert for the national capital after Safdarjung, Delhi's base weather station, recorded 72.6 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. Lodhi Road received 80.2 mm during the same period.

Waterlogging was reported from Vikas Marg, Munirka, Dwarka, Sadar Bazar, East Delhi and areas near the New Delhi railway station. Traffic moved at a crawl on the Delhi-Noida Expressway as several roads remained inundated.

Traffic police personnel were deployed at affected locations while civic agencies carried out dewatering operations. The weather department has forecast more moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning through the day.

Gujarat sees flooding, rescue operations

In Gujarat, incessant rainfall submerged residential colonies, roads and agricultural fields, particularly in Surat, where rising water levels disrupted normal life.

Several parts of the city remained waterlogged, while a low-level bridge at Sethi village in Mangrol taluka was submerged, leaving multiple vehicles stranded.

Two youths were feared drowned near Sarthana Jakatnaka Outer Ring Road in Surat. Fire Department teams continued search operations, while Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya visited the site to review the situation.

Rain eases in Mumbai, rivers swell in Nashik

After days of intense rainfall, Mumbai witnessed relatively lighter showers on Thursday morning, offering some respite.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the eastern suburbs recorded the highest rainfall at 39.37 mm over the previous 24 hours, followed by 28.85 mm in the western suburbs and 14.21 mm in the island city.

The city's seven lakes, which supply drinking water, continued to receive steady inflows, raising total water storage to 48.59 per cent of capacity. The Upper Vaitarna catchment recorded the highest rainfall at 160 mm.

Civic authorities reported 126 tree-fall incidents across Mumbai. One person, identified as 50-year-old Ganesh Waikar, was injured after a tree fell in Andheri.

Meanwhile, continuous heavy rainfall in Nashik caused the Godavari River to swell, prompting authorities to intensify monitoring and issue safety advisories.

Nashik Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik urged residents to stay away from river ghats, saying the river was flowing swiftly even without any discharge from upstream dams.

He said waterlogging had been reported on several roads and rainwater had entered some residential areas. Disaster Management teams, Home Guards and police personnel have been deployed, while the District Disaster Control Room is monitoring the situation round the clock.