Heavy rain in Ghaziabad's Loni area, situated along the border between Delhi-Uttar Pradesh, was causing heavy waterlogging and making the roads very waterlogged and shuttered vehicles in the city. Streets in areas around it were flooded under rainwater, making it difficult for motorists, pedestrians and public transport users to move on.
Despite the waterlogging, a video of an autorickshaw overturning on a flooded road in Khanna Nagar has gone viral online. The incident took place on Sunday, August 23, when the driver was trying to navigate through a heavily waterlogged stretch.
The video shows water covering most of the road and the water level appears to reach the tyres of cars as they were driving through the area. Despite the difficult situation, the autorickshaw driver tried to push on through the flooded road. But when the three-wheeler was crossing the waterlogged road, the three-wheeler lost its balance and crashed.
Several people were in the autorickshaw when the vehicle fell over. The video showed men, women and elderly passengers trapped in the overturned vehicle as it lay on the flooded road. People approaching the autorickshaw immediately rushed to help those trapped inside.
People who were standing next to the overturned vehicle were helping passengers out one by one. They could be heard soothing the trapped passengers and telling them not to panic as they worked to pull them out. The rescuers first made sure they got everyone out of the autorickshaw safely before they turned to the vehicle itself.
Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported. Once the passengers and driver were brought to safety, people at the scene tried to move the autorickshaw out of the waterlogged stretch. The vehicle was eventually pulled away from the flooded portion of the road.
One of the witnesses heard in the video also seemed to defend the autorickshaw driver, saying that the driver wasn’t responsible for what happened. The incident appeared to highlight how difficult it was for drivers to cross roads flooded with water from torrential rains.
Ghaziabad: A viral video, reportedly from Sunday, shows the Delhi-Saharanpur Road in Loni flooded and badly damaged after rain. An autorickshaw carrying passengers overturned on the waterlogged road. No injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/lNiOeYUcc6
— TOI Lucknow (@TOILucknow) August 24, 2026
The video has since generated a lot of debate on social media, with users calling for drainage and road maintenance in areas where waterlogging is common during heavy rain. The incident also raised concerns about the risk faced by commuters when roads are submerged and the actual condition of the surface underneath the water is not known.
Some social media users asked whether such scenes are safe for an urban area and they are not good if heavy rain can quickly make it difficult for people to navigate. Better drainage systems and better water management for roads can all be done to avoid roads getting inundated during downpours and more severe driving conditions.
One user confronted the video and questioned its authenticity before describing the situation as bad for urban infrastructure if it was true. Another user felt that the post-construction management of public infrastructure was not adequate and that an infrastructure of roads alone did not make up for drainage and other essential systems.
The incident also underscores the dangers of driving through deep or fast-rising water. Waterlogging can obscure potholes, uneven road surfaces, open drains and other hazards, making it difficult for drivers to judge whether a stretch is safe to cross. Two-wheelers and smaller vehicles can be particularly vulnerable to losing balance in such conditions.
The passengers were rescued without any injury and the incident is a reminder of the dangers of extreme urban flooding. Heavy rainfall will likely disrupt normal life in areas of Delhi-NCR so the city's roads and drainage system are in serious danger of becoming unusable, residents and commuters say.
The Ghaziabad incident is not only an eye-opener to people who were caught up in the drama of the autorickshaw overturning but also to people who just have to live through a very hard time when it rains. Residents’ rescue prevented the situation from becoming worse, and there is a need for drainage and road maintenance and preparedness but also for a better drainage plan for heavy rain.
