Haryana rains: Waterlogging roils Dwarka Expressway tunnel, IMD issues yellow alert for 15 districts

As rains continue to wreak havoc in parts of Haryana, the Dwarka Expressway tunnel saw slower traffic movement due to heavy waterlogging. The Dwarka Expressway has been built at a cost of around ₹250 crore.

Its Haryana section was inaugurated in March 2024, whereas its Delhi section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August last year. Netizens shared videos of the waterlogged expressway tunnel and expressed their ire.

IMD issues yelllow alert for 15 districts

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in 15 districts on Saturday. These include Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Strong winds are also likely in these districts.

The weather department said conditions would remain changeable in Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Jind and Rohtak, with drizzle or rain possible at some places. Clouds were seen over Sonipat, Hisar and Panipat since morning.

According to the IMD, the monsoon trough is extending from Sriganganagar through Rohtak and Fatehgarh to the Bay of Bengal, and its effect could bring rain with winds across many parts of the state between September 5 and 7.

Rainfall and waterlogging

In the past 24 hours, Panchkula recorded the highest rainfall at 99 mm, followed by Yamunanagar at 57.5 mm, Gurugram at 44.5 mm, Karnal at 33.5 mm, Rohtak at 32 mm and Rewari at 20 mm. Waterlogging was reported in several areas. In Gurugram alone, 36 mm of rain fell within an hour on Friday, leading to waterlogging and traffic jams.

Monsoon may weaken after September 8

Weather scientist Dr Madan Khichar said rain with strong winds would continue in the northern and southern districts amid cloud cover, but monsoon activity may weaken again from September 8. He said day temperatures may fall slightly during the rain, while night temperatures may rise marginally. He advised farmers to postpone irrigation and pesticide spraying till the spell ends and ensure proper drainage in fields.

August rain below normal

Haryana received 135.4 mm of rain in August against the normal 146.1 mm, the lowest in three years. From June 1 to August 31, the state received 283.4 mm against the normal 349.9 mm, a deficit of about 19 per cent. Rainfall was above normal in Nuh, Palwal, Gurugram, Faridabad and Bhiwani, but below normal in Karnal, Jind, Kaithal, Ambala and Rohtak.