'Very heavy' rains likely in Delhi, neighbouring cities as Cyclone Tauktae weakens

The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday issued an orange alert for Delhi, predicting “heavy” to “very heavy” rainfall in parts of the capital with winds gusting up to 60 kilometres per hour. In an impact-based advisory, it predicted waterlogging in low-lying areas, traffic disruption and uprooting of small plants. “Possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places” as a result of interaction between the remnant of cyclonic storm Tauktae and a Western Disturbance, the IMD said. Rainfall recorded below 15 mm is considered light, between 15 and 64.5 mm is moderate, between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm is heavy and between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm is very heavy. Anything above 204.4 mm is considered extremely heavy rainfall. Rainfall activity is very likely to decrease on Thursday. Scattered to fairly widespread rain is predicted in the capital, it said. In the past 24 hours ending at 8:30 am, the city registered 1.8 mm rainfall, the weather department said. The rainfall and gusty winds on Wednesday brought the maximum temperature down to 30.8 degrees Celsius, which is the lowest in the month of May in four years, according to IMD data. Delhi’s air quality had improved to the ‘satisfactory’ category on Tuesday, the first time since September last year, due to rainfall and strong winds, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. The city had recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 93 on Tuesday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe, while an AQI above 500 falls in the severe plus category.