The Gurugram Traffic Police has deployed additional personnel and equipment on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway (NH-48) following heavy rain and subsequent waterlogging.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Prateek Gahlot told PTI that 260 additional police personnel have been deployed to strengthen traffic management in view of increased traffic volume.

The city received over 115 mm of rainfall in the last 33 hours, including 83 mm on Tuesday and 32 mm on Wednesday, leading to waterlogging and traffic congestion.

Gurugram struggled with waterlogging and traffic chaos as it received 115 mm of rain within 33 hours, with commuters stranded on roads for hours. Traffic crawled on several major roads, including the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Basai, Kadipur and Sohna Road, with several vehicles reportedly breaking down in waterlogged stretches.

Officials said teams from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), police and other agencies were deployed to drain out water and regulate traffic, reported PTI.

In Delhi, several areas, including Sadar Bazar, Nasirpur, Greater Kailash, Badarpur, Teliwara, Mahavir Bazar, Swarup Nagar and Kushak Road, were waterlogged.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on Rohtak Road, where traffic was almost brought to a standstill between Punjabi Bagh and Shadipur for several hours, reported PTI.

Commuters faced delays on Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and National Highway 48, particularly near Dhaula Kuan, Mahipalpur and Rajokri, due to reduced visibility and waterlogging.

Vehicular movement was also affected on Mathura Road near Ashram, Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, Zakhira flyover, Moti Nagar, Patel Nagar, Naraina, AIIMS, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, Azadpur, Mukarba Chowk and stretches of the Delhi-Noida Link Road.

Several parts of Delhi got waterlogged after heavy rain hit the city. The India Meteorological Department has issued 'red' and 'orange' alerts, warning of thunderstorms and more rain over the next few hours.

The downpour also reduced the temperature across the city. Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 25.4 degrees Celsius. It received 14.2 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours that ended at 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

It said thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and heavy rain were very likely over a few districts, and thunderstorms with light to moderate rain were likely over the other districts in the next few hours. Wind speeds are expected to reach 40 kmph.

El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern in which the waters of the Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual. Traditionally, it has been linked to weaker monsoons and below-normal rainfall in India.

Flash floods triggered by rains disrupted road connectivity in some parts of Rampur subdivision of Shimla district as moderate rains continued to lash Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, officials said.

A rise in water level following the floods damaged a temporary bridge over the Ganvi khad stream, blocking the link roads to the twin panchayats of Kyao and Kut and causing significant hardship to the local population.

Videos of stranded commuters on both sides of the stream and locals making efforts to restore the path by removing the stones have gone viral on social media.

Amid incessant rainfall in Belagavi district, the district administration has declared a holiday for anganwadis, schools and colleges in three taluks 

The holiday has been announced for Belagavi, Khanapur and Nippani taluks following widespread rainfall in the region

Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, on Tuesday said that the overall El Nino situation should be continuously monitored and the impact of the monsoon/delayed monsoon on vulnerable districts must be assessed in coordination with states so that remedial action can be taken up when necessary.

In a high-level meeting to review and take stock of the preparedness measures undertaken in the context of the progress of the kharif season and possible impact due to El Nino on other sectors of the economy, Mishra instructed that steps must be taken to ensure adequate fodder availability, alon with fodder development plans, and regular monitoring with the states must be undertaken.

"Ensuring adequate availability of drinking water in vulnerable districts must be a top priority. The reservoir levels in vulnerable districts were under regular watch, and appropriate directions were given to ensure that there is optimal reservoir water utilisation and promoting judicious use of available water must be undertaken," he said, according to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office.

The Centre on Tuesday said that the rainfall deficit has come down to 12 per cent, with the first week of July recording above-normal monsoon activity, and asserted that an El Nino year may not necessarily lead to below-normal rainfall.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in the context of the progress of the kharif season and possible impact due to El Nino on other sectors of the economy, a high-level review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra to review and take stock of the preparedness measures undertaken in this regard.

At the outset of the meeting, officials of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) presented the overall rainfall situation from June to July 7, while its director general provided an update on the status of monsoon coverage in the country and the possible impact of El Nino.

A huge road cave-in on NH-48 left several vehicles stranded from hours, causing traffic to crawl from Rajiv Chowk in Gurugram. 

Heavy traffic was reported from areas including Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk and Narsinghpur.