Waterlogging at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, in New Delhi, on Tuesday. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)Delhi recorded its wettest day in more than two years on Tuesday, with the Safdarjung base observatory logging 99.1 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am.This was the highest recorded at Safdarjung across all months since August 1, 2024, when the station received 107.6 mm. It also narrowly surpassed the 98.7 mm recorded on August 8 this year. In 2025, the highest 24-hour rainfall at Safdarjung was 80.4 mm on August 15.August rainfall already far above normalThe downpour was widespread across the city, triggering waterlogging across parts of the capital.Delhi University recorded the highest rainfall at 104 mm.It was followed by:-Ayanagar at 101.9 mm-Ridge at 100.4 mm-Lodhi Road recorded 98.3 mm-Janakpuri received 76 mm-Palam recorded 68 mm during the 24-hour period, after receiving 104.6 mm on August 8.The heavy spell pushed Safdarjung’s August rainfall total to 354.1 mm, well above the long-period climatological mean of 226.8 mm for the entire month.This is the third consecutive August in which Safdarjung has recorded more than 350 mm of rain, after 390.3 mm in August 2024 and 400.1 mm in August 2025.With more than a month still remaining in the monsoon season, Safdarjung’s rainfall since June 1 has reached 653.9 mm as of 8.30 am on August 26. This has already crossed the full June-September seasonal normal of 640.4 mm.Story continues below this adThe seasonal rainfall at Safdarjung is currently 35% above normal, while Ridge has recorded 692.3 mm, 64% above normal, and Ayanagar 672.8 mm, 60% above normal.Lodhi Road has received 648.2 mm, 34% above normal, and Palam 533.2 mm, 15% above normal.Heavy rain exposes waterlogging woesThe intensity of Tuesday’s rain had triggered waterlogging issues in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area among other regions.NDMC chairperson Manoj Dwivedi apologised on Wednesday morning for the difficulties faced by residents and commuters, saying the civic body usually clears waterlogging within 15-20 minutes.Story continues below this ad“… But despite our best efforts, in at least 3-4 areas water was fully drained out in more than an hour’s time,” Dwivedi said in a post on X.“There was more than 72 mm rainfall in less than 2 hours and this was quite unexpected. But this cannot be an excuse and we will have to strengthen our systems to deal with such situations in future,” he said.Dwivedi said the Council would undertake short- and long-term measures to make the entire NDMC area “fully water logging free” and added that suggestions for improvement were welcome.Rain brings temperatures downThe rain also brought down temperatures in the capital. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 23.5°C, 2.9 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature was capped at 33.4°C.Story continues below this adThe latest spell came amid a month marked by several intense rainfall events.The highest 24-hour rainfall recorded at Safdarjung in July this year was 72.6 mm on July 9. Other high-rainfall events in 2025 included 80.4 mm on August 15 and 79 mm on August 8.Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Delhi Police