Delhi red alert as heavy rain floods roads, halting traffic

Heavy rainfall brought the Indian capital to a standstill on Friday, August 7, 2026, submerging major roads under up to four feet of water, stranding vehicles, and inundating residential neighborhoods. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for the city as the downpour triggered widespread waterlogging, severe traffic disruptions, and a cascade of civic complaints.

The worst flooding was reported along the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in South Delhi, where water accumulated three to four feet deep near the Vayusena Bad Air Force Station, turning the busy corridor into what residents described as a river. Traffic crawled for kilometers between Khanpur and Okhla Mor, with adjoining stretches in Sangam Vihar, Deoli, and Ambedkar Nagar also heavily inundated. Waterlogging crippled other key arteries across the city, including ITO, Minto Road, Mahipalpur, Pusa Road, and areas around the Red Fort, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

The flooding extended into residential areas, with several homes inundated. In Fatehpur Beri's Valmiki Basti, residents waded through waist-deep water, and schoolchildren were carried across flooded lanes on a makeshift plastic sheet raft....