Bhiwandi (Maharashtra) [India], May 22 (ANI): A massive traffic jam was reported on the Bhiwandi-Wada road in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday, following heavy rainfall late Wednesday night that severely damaged the road surface.

The downpour created large potholes and significantly slowed traffic movement. The situation was further aggravated by ongoing road construction work at several points along the stretch.

The traffic congestion extended for nearly 7 to 8 kilometres, with many commuters stranded at the same location for over four hours.

Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported heavy rainfall across several states from 8:30 AM IST on Thursday to 5:30 AM IST on Friday.

The data highlights heavy rainfall in regions including Gangetic West Bengal, Konkan & Goa, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Northeast India.

Additionally, the IMD has forecast continued heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of the west coast, including Konkan, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala, over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the national capital experienced severe weather on Wednesday, including a dust storm, thunderstorms, hail, and heavy rain in various parts of Delhi.

The intense weather led to power outages in several areas of the city, including Bawana, Narela, Jahangirpuri, Civil Lines, Shakti Nagar, Model Town, Wazirabad, Dhirpur, and Burari.

Many domestic and international flights to the Delhi airport were put on hold or diverted due to inclement weather conditions. 'Many domestic and international flights to Delhi airport from various airports have been put on halt or diverted due to weather conditions,' said airport sources.

The rainfall brought a sharp drop in temperature, with IMD officials noting a 14-degree Celsius decline. At Palam, temperatures fell from 37C at 7:30 PM to 23C by 8:30 PM.

The Delhi Fire Service also received over 25 emergency calls, mostly related to uprooted trees caused by the storm. (ANI)