NEW DELHI: The national capital recorded its wettest January ever since record keeping began, logging in 88.2 mm total monthly rainfall so far — breaking the all-time high record of 79.7 mm total rainfall back in 1989.
The city is in for more showers, dense fog cover and cold day conditions over the next three days, weather officials said. According the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, the Safdarjung Observatory received a cumulative rainfall of 88.2 mm this month so far (till January 23), which broke the all-time record of highest monthly rainfall since 1989.
“The total rainfall this January has broken the all-time record since recordkeeping began in 1901. With more showers likely on January 24, cold day conditions may prevail in Delhi and in parts of the northwest region including neighbouring Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh,” said R K Jenamani, senior IMD scientist.
The rainy Saturday gave way to light overnight showers that continued till Sunday morning in parts of the city. With the showers, biting cold also gripped the city. Saturday saw the maximum temperature dipping to 14.7 degrees C, seven notches below normal — making it the lowest maximum temperature recorded this season.Maximum temperature settling at 14.9 degrees C, six notches below normal.The minimum temperature was 10.5 degrees C, three notches above normal.
“Scattered light rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, West UP and East Rajasthan, during next 24 hours, after which rainfall will abate and dry weather is likely,” an IMD bulletin said. Meanwhile, light showe helped improve the air quality in the city to the ‘poor’ range. Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was 202 in the ‘poor’ zone, as against 316 in the ‘very poor’ range on Saturday, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
106 people died due to cold, NGO report shows
At least 106 people, mostly homeless, have died in the city this month due to cold conditions, non-government organisation Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) claimed. CHD wrote to CM Arvind Kejriwal requesting him to make proper arrangements for such people during winters. While officials from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board denied that deaths have occurred due to cold, officers of the Delhi Police acknowledged that the number of deaths among homeless people suffering from medical issues goes up during winters. According to a report, 106 people have died due to cold in Delhi between January 1 and 19.