Delhi receives second-highest annual rainfall in 121 yrs

New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) Delhi has received its second highest annual rainfall in 121 years, since 1933, as on till October 25, according to the Safdarjung Airport Observatory.

The observatory has recorded 1,502.8 mm of rainfall till Monday evening, while the national capital recorded 1,534.3 mm rainfall in 1933, the highest annual precipitation in the 1901-2021 period, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.

Till October 18, Delhi received 24-hour accumulated rainfall of 87.9 mm, the highest since 1956.

Despite a late monsoon, Delhi received an excess of rainfall in the month of September and October, which is usually the time for departure of the southwest monsoon.

As per the IMD report, it was the third time in the last two decades that the monsoon rainfall in Delhi breached the 1,000 mm mark. The city had recorded 1,031.5 mm rainfall in the 2010 monsoon season and 1,050 mm in 2003.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) Delhi-NCR region also improved to the satisfactory category this evening.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) improved from 160 on Sunday to 82 on Monday.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences forecast agency SAFAR said the air quality is likely to remain in the "satisfactory" to "moderate" categories for the next three days.

The air quality is categorised as "good" when AQI is between 0 to 50, "satisfactory" between 51-100, "moderate" between 101-200, "poor" between 201-300, "very poor" between 301-400, "severe" between 401-500, and "hazardous" (500+).