Delhi-NCR storm kills 4, disrupts over 120 flights and train services amid heavy rain and dust storm | Watch
Delhi weather update: A powerful dust storm followed by heavy rain battered Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) early Friday, killing four persons and causing major disruptions in air and rail traffic. The storm brought gusty winds, uprooted trees, and led to severe waterlogging in multiple parts of the city. Tragedy struck in Delhi’s Dwarka locality where a woman and her three children were killed when a tree collapsed on their room due to strong winds.
The adverse weather affected operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with over 120 flights delayed. On average, flight arrivals were delayed by 21 to 46 minutes, while departures faced delays of up to 61 minutes. At least three incoming flights were diverted — including Bangalore-Delhi and Pune-Delhi flights that were rerouted to Jaipur, while another was diverted to Ahmedabad.
Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma tweets, "Today, due to unseasonal record rainfall, water stagnated in some quantity at many places in Delhi. From 5:30 am onwards, I went to many places and took stock of the situation. On going to Minto Bridge, I saw that all the four pumps were… pic.twitter.com/6sCExIlgKe — IANS (@ians_india) May 2, 2025
Air India issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted, which is likely to impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimize disruptions.” Passengers have been advised to check flight statuses before heading to the airport, while Delhi airport officials assured that ground staff were making efforts to ensure a smooth experience amidst the chaos.
Train services were also impacted. Between 15 and 20 trains were delayed across the Delhi division after strong winds brought down trees onto electrical wires, further compounding travel woes.
Waterlogging paralysed traffic in several neighbourhoods, including Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension Ring Road, Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar, and Moti Bagh. A truck was seen stuck at the Minto Bridge underpass — a notorious waterlogging hotspot in the capital.
#WATCH | Delhi-NCR witnesses traffic congestion as several trees were uprooted, and vehicles broke down amid heavy waterlogging, due to a rainstorm earlier today.
Visuals from Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/ABy5a2MZrM — ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded intense rainfall across the city. In the last three hours, the Safdarjung observatory measured 77 mm of rain, Lodhi Road saw 78 mm, Palam recorded 30 mm, Najafgarh 19.5 mm, and Pitampura 32 mm.
IMD’s Nowcast warned of continued thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and winds up to 70–80 kmph. A yellow alert has been issued for Delhi till Saturday, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
Despite the damage and disruptions, the rainfall brought much-needed respite from the heat. On Wednesday, Delhi had recorded a maximum temperature of 38.1°C, slightly below the seasonal average. Post-rain, temperatures dropped to a pleasant 19.8°C on Friday morning.
The IMD predicts more frequent and intense thunderstorms throughout May, which may prevent temperatures from spiking to the extreme levels experienced in May 2024. Rainfall across north India is forecast to be above normal — more than 109% of the long-period average of 64.1 mm.
The authorities are assessing property damage and have urged the public to remain alert and follow official weather updates.
- With inputs from agencies
