Heavy showers pounded Delhi and the National Capital Region on Friday, leaving several roads submerged, slowing traffic across the city and causing widespread disruption to daily life. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said rainfall would remain intense through Friday before easing from Saturday, with only light showers expected over the following two days.

Among the worst-affected locations was South Delhi's Mehrauli-Badarpur (MB) Road, where rainwater accumulated to several feet at certain points, turning major stretches into virtual waterways. Flooded roads left numerous vehicles stranded, while long queues of traffic stretched across key intersections.

The area near the Air Force Station witnessed some of the deepest waterlogging, significantly hampering movement. Nearby localities including Khanpur, Deoli, Ambedkar Nagar, Sangam Vihar and Okhla Mor also experienced severe flooding, forcing commuters to negotiate difficult road conditions.

Motorcycles and auto-rickshaws reportedly stalled after entering waterlogged sections, while many office-goers remained trapped in traffic for extended periods. In some places, military vehicles were seen assisting people in crossing inundated stretches.

Elsewhere in the capital, congestion was reported on several major routes, including ITO, Wazirabad Road, Patel Road, Rohtak Road, Shankar Road, Kirti Nagar, Peeragarhi, Shaheen Bagh and the Delhi-Jaipur Highway. East Delhi areas such as GT Road, GTB Enclave and Dilshad Garden also witnessed slow-moving traffic due to accumulated rainwater.

Low-lying neighbourhoods including Dakshinpuri, Okhla, Sangam Vihar and Sainik Farms experienced significant waterlogging as drainage systems struggled to cope with the continuous rainfall.

According to the IMD, Delhi's Safdarjung observatory recorded nearly 60 mm of rainfall by Friday morning, with Lodhi Road and Ridge stations registering similar amounts. Other weather stations at Ayanagar and Palam also reported substantial rainfall.

Weather officials said moderate to heavy showers would continue through Friday before weakening over the weekend. Forecasts indicate only light rainfall is expected across Delhi on Saturday and Sunday.

The weather agency has also issued alerts for several neighbouring states, warning of heavy rainfall in parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. A developing low-pressure system over eastern India is expected to trigger widespread rain over West Bengal and Odisha in the coming days.

The impact extended well beyond Delhi.

In Noida, an ambulance became stranded inside a flooded underpass near the Mahamaya Flyover after rising water made the route impassable. Although no patient was inside the vehicle, the driver said it remained stuck for an extended period while awaiting assistance.

Neighbouring Gurugram also faced significant disruption. Rainwater entered the Civil Hospital, flooding sections of the basement and parts of the ground floor. Hospital authorities temporarily suspended services operating from the basement after water seeped into treatment areas, including the injection room.

The flooding also made access to the hospital difficult for patients and staff, while restoration work continued to clear water from the premises.

By Friday evening, weather experts indicated that additional rain-bearing cloud bands moving from western Uttar Pradesh were likely to bring more moderate to heavy showers across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad before conditions gradually improved later in the night.

Several locations across the NCR had already recorded over 100 mm of rainfall by late afternoon, with some areas expected to receive even higher totals. Authorities advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel as waterlogging and traffic congestion were likely to persist until rainfall subsided.