Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi on Monday with strong winds causing power outages at several places in the city.
While the change in weather brought much-needed respite to the residents who suffered under a sultry morning, two people were killed and several injured as heavy rains accompanied by strong winds battered the national capital on Monday evening, uprooting hundreds of trees, disrupting road and air traffic and damaging vehicles and buildings, including the iconic Jama Masjid.
Waterlogging and power outages were also reported in some areas. Police and fire brigade personnel responded to scores of rescue calls as trees fell on vehicles and passersby and incidents of wall collapse occurred, while civic bodies were busy clearing roads.
A 50-year-old man died in the Jama Masjid area in centra Delhi after a portion of a balcony of a neighbouring house fell on him during the strong winds when he was standing outside his residence.
The victim, identified as Kailash, was declared brought dead at Sanjeevan hospital in Daryaganj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan said. In the Angoori Bagh area of North Delhi, a 65-year-old homeless man identified as Basir Baba died after a Peepal tree fell on him, the police said.
In another instance, three members of a family including a one-year-old child were rescued after a Neem tree fell on a Creta car near Kabootar Market in Chandni Chowk. The historic Jama Masjid also suffered damage as the finial of its middle dome broke. Its Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari said two people were injured as loose stones fell from one of the minarets and other parts of the mosque.
Delhi had recorded a minimum temperature of 27.8 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average, with the weather department predicting overcast conditions for the city on Monday.
The rain was accompanied by roaring clouds and strong winds that swept the city at a speed of 50 km/hr. The force of winds was such that several AC units at Express Building on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg broke away and were on the verge of falling down.
A brief video showing the precariously dangling ACs at the building which houses several media firms was shared by a journalist on Twitter.
West Delhi BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma's car was also damaged after the branches of a tree fell on the vehicle parked at his official residence at Windsor Place.
"Till 7.15 PM, a total of 101 complaints were received about uprooted trees and broken branches. Work is on to clear the areas where such incidents have been witnessed. Several areas, including Bhagwan Das Road, Connaught Place, SP Marg, have already been cleared," a senior NDMC official said.
The relative humidity at 8.30 am was 63 percent. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 41 degrees Celsius. Parts of the national capital received light rain on Sunday evening with the maximum temperature settling at 40.7 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the season.
