Heavy Rains, Thunderstorms Disrupt Life in Delhi-NCR; Flights Delayed, Trees Uprooted

Heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds lashed Delhi and surrounding regions overnight, leading to widespread waterlogging, uprooted trees, and disruptions in flight operations.

Key areas in the national capital, including Moti Bagh, Minto Road, and the vicinity of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1, witnessed severe waterlogging, according to media reports. The sudden downpour and strong winds, clocking speeds between 40-60 kmph, left parts of the city grappling with traffic snarls and power disruptions.

Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were temporarily impacted during the early morning hours. At 3:59 am, IndiGo Airlines posted on X that adverse weather had led to disruptions, but by around 6 am, operations had resumed. However, as of 7:30 am, flights were still departing with an average delay of 46 minutes, according to FlightRadar24. The morning temperature stood at 22°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a red alert for Delhi and surrounding areas, forecasting severe thunderstorms and dust storms with frequent lightning and gusty winds. In its nowcast, the IMD warned of a thunderstorm cell approaching Delhi from the west/northwest.

Residents have been advised to avoid open spaces, refrain from taking shelter under trees, steer clear of weak structures, and stay away from water bodies during adverse weather conditions.

The turbulent weather also affected parts of Uttarakhand and Haryana. On Wednesday evening, a dense cloud mass had swept into North Delhi, moving south-southeastward and triggering a dust storm with winds reaching up to 70 kmph. Light rainfall accompanied the storm, causing localized power outages.

This spell of extreme weather followed closely on the heels of the southwest monsoon’s early onset in Kerala—arriving a week ahead of the usual June 1 date and marking the earliest onset since 2009.

Also Read: Southwest Monsoon Breaks In 8 Days Early Over Kerala; Northeast Set for More Rain