Heavy rains batter Delhi; 8 dead in wall collapse at Jaitpur

New Delhi, Aug 9: Heavy overnight rains left large parts of the national capital waterlogged on Saturday, disrupting traffic and claiming eight lives in a wall collapse in Jaitpur in New Delhi. The downpour, which began late Friday night, intensified through the early hours, submerging several main roads including some residential areas like Vasant Kunj, R K Puram, Connaught Place.

Vehicular movement was slow on several key routes.

The India Meteorological Department initially issued a red alert for the city, later revising it to yellow, with forecasts of rain and thunderstorms continuing until August 12. In the 24 hours to 8.30 am, national media reported that Safdarjung recorded 78.7 mm of rainfall, Pragati Maidan 100 mm, Lodhi Road 80 mm, Pusa 69 mm, and Palam 31.8 mm.

Morning temperatures stood at 23.8°C, with the maximum expected to touch 32°C. PTI reported that the Jaitpur tragedy occurred near Mohan Baba Mandir in Harinagar, where a wall collapsed amid the heavy showers, killing eight people. Three fire tenders and police teams were deployed to the site after an emergency call was received at 9.16 am. Several flights were delayed as anxious people continue to wait at the airport.