A bank manager and a cashier lost their lives after their SUV got submerged in a waterlogged underpass in Faridabad, as heavy rains battered Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday. The victims, Punyashreya Sharma, the manager of HDFC Bank's Sector 31 branch in Gurugram, and Viraj Dwivedi, a cashier at the same branch, were caught off guard by the depth of the water. The two men were returning to their homes in Faridabad in a Mahindra XUV700 when they reached the Old Faridabad railway underpass. The underpass had become heavily flooded due to continuous rains. Despite noticing the water accumulation, they misjudged its depth. As they attempted to drive through, the SUV began to sink. Realizing the danger, Sharma and Dwivedi attempted to exit the vehicle and swim to safety. Unfortunately, they were unable to escape in time and drowned in the rapidly rising water. Faridabad Police received an alert about the stranded vehicle and rushed to the scene. While Sharma's body was recovered from the vehicle soon after the rescue team arrived, Dwivedi's body was discovered after an intensive search that lasted until 4 a.m. on Saturday.

Rain Wreaks Havoc Across NCR

The Delhi-NCR region has been witnessing relentless downpours for the second consecutive day. An orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall was issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for both Thursday and Friday. The IMD attributed the rainfall to a depression over southwest Uttar Pradesh that has been triggering the extended period of precipitation. Severe waterlogging and traffic jams were reported across various parts of the NCR. In Gurugram, major thoroughfares such as Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, and IFFCO Chowk were significantly affected by flooding, causing massive traffic disruptions.

Delhi Experiences Record Rainfall

The heavy rains, which continued through Saturday, prompted the IMD to issue a yellow alert for moderate rainfall. According to IMD data, Delhi has recorded over 1,000 mm of rainfall this month alone, making it the wettest September since 2021 and the second-highest in over a decade. The tragic deaths of Sharma and Dwivedi have highlighted the dangers posed by waterlogged underpasses and inadequate drainage systems in the region, as residents continue to struggle with the impact of severe monsoon weather.