Heavy rain likely in Delhi over next few days, IMD issues orange alert

New Delhi: Delhi is likely to receive heavy rainfall over the next two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday, a day after the monsoon arrived in the city with the heaviest downpour in 88 years.

The IMD has issued an ‘orange’ alert for heavy rain for the next four days.

"Delhi is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the day, with an even heavier spell anticipated on Sunday and Monday," the IMD said.

Parts of Delhi, including Rohini and Burari, received rainfall this morning.

The weather office has forecast moderate to heavy rain accompanied with thunderstorms over the next seven days.

According to the IMD, moderate rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 7.6 and 35.5 mm in a day, and heavy rain is rainfall amounting to between 64.5 and 124.4 mm in a day.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 32 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.

The humidity levels stood at 80 per cent.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the 'moderate' category with a reading of 108 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The monsoon arrived in Delhi on Friday, raining devastation on a city ill-prepared for a three-hour downpour that led to the roof of Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsing, killing one person and suspending flight operations, and inundated many parts of the capital.

Seven others were killed in rain-related incidents.

The national capital recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall on Friday, the highest since 1936 for the month of June.

According to the IMD, 228.1 mm of rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung, the city's primary weather station, 192.8 mm at Lodhi Road, Mausam Bhavan, 150.4 mm at Ridge, 106.6 mm at Palam, and 66.3 mm at Ayanagar.