Delhi receives heaviest rains in 57 years

The monsoon this year has dumped 1,159.4mm of rainfall in Delhi till yesterday afternoon, the highest since 1964 and the third-highest since the data has been maintained by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Delhi’s September rainfall breached the 400mm mark. At 403mm till Thursday afternoon, it is the maximum rainfall recorded in the month since 417.3mm in September 1944.

More rains in store

To put things in perspective, Delhi received 404mm rainfall in the entire 2019 monsoon period. The figures are still evolving as more rainfall is predicted during the month. Experts say that it is on course to become the second-wettest monsoon ever in Delhi by the time it withdraws. Normally, Delhi records 653.6mm of rainfall during the monsoon season. Last year, the capital gauged 648.9mm of precipitation. Between June 1, when the monsoon season starts in the country, and Sept 15, the city normally gets 614.3mm of rainfall. The monsoon withdraws from Delhi by Sept 25. According to the IMD, the Safdarjung Observatory received 1159.4mm of rainfall till yesterday afternoon. It had gauged 1,155.6mm of rainfall in 1975 and 1190.9mm in 1964.