New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS): Heavy rains lashed the national capital and surrounding areas Friday, leading to chaos on the roads as massive traffic jams were reported from various parts of the city. The Met department has forecast rain till Saturday morning.

The rain started at 8 a.m., stranding commuters in various parts of the city as major roads were water-logged on account of poor drainage.

"We are getting many complaints of traffic jams due to choked drains. Among the worst hit places were parts of south Delhi," a traffic police officer said.

Traffic moved at a snail's place on Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Adchini and Sri Aurobindo Marg in south Delhi. There were major jams on the roads leading out of Delhi to Gurgaon in Haryana and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

"I am stuck on the Ring Road. I don't understand why, as soon as rain starts, the roads start getting choked," Akansha Singh of south Delhi told IANS.

Irritated with serpentine jams and flooding at several places, commuters and office-goers complained. Traffic signals at some major junctions went kaput.

"I had to report to office at 10 a.m., but its already 12 noon now. The red lights are not working, none of the traffic police constables are deployed to control the traffic... shame on the Delhi government," said Raveesh Sethi, a sales executive stuck in traffic at Green Park in south Delhi.

Civic agencies said waterlogging was reported from GTB Road in north Delhi, Akshardham Mandir in east Delhi and Minto Road in central Delhi. In south Delhi, complaints were received from August Kranti Marg, Bhimsa Pitamah Marg and Saket.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 15.6 mm of rain from 8.30 a.m. Thursday to 8.30 a.m. Friday.

Friday morning also saw spells when the rain was reduced to a drizzle.

"The sky will remain cloudy, with rain and thundershowers in some parts of the city," an IMD official said, adding that maximum and minimum temperatures will stay around 32 and 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

Humidity at 8.30 a.m. Friday stood at 97 percent.

Since the monsoon's arrival in June, Delhi has received 539.6 mm of rain, 29 percent more than the average.

Thursday's maximum temperature was three notches below the average for the season at 30.7 degrees Celsius. The minimum was two notches below average at 24.7 degrees Celsius.