Aren’T Indian Cities Prepared For Rain?
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Aren’t Indian cities prepared for rain?

Process Analyst
The monsoon's heaviest rainfall in the Indian capital Monday flooded low-lying areas, uprooted trees and snapped traffic lights, causing havoc on the city's even otherwise chaotic roads.

The sweltering city finally got the rains it was praying for. But after it poured and poured, life came to a virtual halt. The heavy showers began in the afternoon, taking most people by surprise. Within hours, there was disorder on the streets.

Some roads and large parts of many roads simply went under water, thanks to choking drains.
In some areas, drain water overflowed on the roads. "There is a lot of traffic congestion. The signals stopped functioning at several places. In the first two to three hours we got 20 complaints," the traffic official said.

Complaints of traffic jams came from all over the city. Some of the worst hit areas were near the Rajghat and India Gate in central Delhi and Dhaula Kuan, AIIMS flyover and Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi.

Power outages were reported in many areas after overhead electrical cables collapsed. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) control room was inundated with complaints of flooding in several residential areas.

"Water logging was reported from Chattarsal Stadium, Model Town, Azadpur Bus Stand, near Munirka and Dwarka," MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur said. Trees toppled in east Delhi. A compound wall collapsed in west Delhi's Jahangirpuri.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 30.1 degrees Celsius Monday morning, three degrees above the average during this time of year. The maximum was 36.6 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal.

"When it started raining, I thought it will be the usual drizzle and will be over soon. However, when I reached my bus stop, I was surprised. The water level on the roads had risen so much that I had to fold up my jeans till my knees," she said.

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