Light to moderate rain likely in South-West Delhi, adjoining areas today

New Delhi [India]: Regional Weather Forecast Centre (RWFC) in the national capital on Thursday predicted light to moderate intensity rain in South-West Delhi and adjoining areas.

“Thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of South-West Delhi, South Delhi (Chhattarpur, IGNOU, Ayanagar, Deramandi) and NCR ( Gurugram, Manesar), Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Khurja, Pahasu (U.P.) during next 2 hours”, RWFC, Delhi shared in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Requesting Delhiites residing in flood-affected areas to not leave their houses if not essential, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Yamuna River's water level will peak by 3-4 pm Thursday and then start receding.

“I would like to request people to not step out if it is not essential and resort to Working from Home. We have closed the schools in affected areas. We are also trying to provide all facilities at the relief camps...As per the CWC (Central Water Commission) prediction, the peak (of river Yamuna's water level) will reach by 3-4 pm today and it will then start going down,” Kejriwal said.

However, Delhi's Directorate of Education has ordered all government and private schools to close immediately where there is a danger of flood without waiting for orders.

"In view of the flood situation in Delhi, the Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi has ordered all government and private schools in low-lying areas to close immediately without waiting for orders where there is a danger of flood", said a statement.

Several areas of the city are still under water as the water level of river Yamuna continues to rise following heavy rainfall and the release of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in neighbouring Haryana.

Due to the rise in the water level of Yamuna and the resultant inundation of low-lying areas, traffic movement has been impaired in several places.