At least 21 people were killed and over 50 others went missing as torrential rains triggering cloudbursts, landslides, flooding and waterlogging wreaked havoc in north India, officials said Thursday.

Heavy rains battered the Indian capital territory and its outskirts Wednesday evening and left most parts of the city waterlogged. The rain and the subsequent inundation of roads severely affected traffic, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Reports said at least 10 people – five in Delhi, three in Gurugram and two in Greater Noida – were killed in the rain-related incidents.

The incessant downpour, which saw parts of the city receive record rainfall, prompted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for Delhi. The IMD advised residents to stay indoors, secure their homes and avoid unnecessary travel. The situation also prompted the Delhi government to close all schools on Thursday.

Meanwhile, at least 12 people died in the northern Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while 50 more people remain missing, according to ANI and NDTV.

(With input from Xinhua)