Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday evening issued a fresh advisory after heavy rains lashed the national capital in the morning. As many as 200 flights were delayed due to the adverse weather conditions.
Torrential rains, accompanied by thunderstorms, swept across north India, including the Delhi-NCR region on May 2, leaving at least seven people dead and toppling more than 100 trees. The downpour also triggered a landslide that blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Delhi Airport issues fresh advisory
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport advised travellers to stay in touch with their respective airlines, and keep a tab on the flight updates.
The Delhi Airport stated: “ Due to the weather and road blockages around the airport, we recommend using the Delhi Metro or other public transport to minimise travel delays. The airport is fully operational, though some flights may be affected by the weather.”
“Our on-ground teams are diligently coordinating with all stakeholders to provide a smooth and efficient experience for passengers. Passengers are requested to stay in touch with their airlines for the latest flight updates,” the Delhi Airport added on X, formerly Twitter.
Delhi weather: IMD predicts thunderstorms tomorrow
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Delhi on Saturday, May 3, forecasting thunderstorms and rain, accompanied by lightning. Although no warnings have been issued for Sunday and the upcoming week, the weather observatory has predicted thunderstorms with rain from May 4-May 6.
According to IMD’s latest forecast, cloudy skies along with rain or thunderstorms are likely from May 7 to May 8. The forecast was updated on Friday at 9:24 p.m.
Delhi rains wreak havoc: 4 killed, power cuts reported in multiple areas
As of Friday morning, Delhi recorded 77 mm of rainfall — the second-highest single-day rainfall in May since 1901, reported PTI. The torrential downpour killed four people in the Najafgarh area of the national capital, and three in Uttar Pradesh.
Here are the top updates on Delhi rains:
- A 28-year-old woman and her three children lost their lives in southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh area after a tree crashed onto their house, causing it to collapse during Friday’s heavy rain. Rescue teams pulled them from the rubble, but they were declared dead at a nearby hospital.
2. The intense downpour wreaked havoc across the region, leading to major travel disruptions. Over 200 flights were delayed and three were diverted at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to low visibility and gusty winds.
3. In Uttar Pradesh, lightning strikes claimed three lives and left several others injured. Two of the victims were daily wage labourers working on an MGNREGA road project in Firozabad. In another incident, a family trying to cover a haystack during the storm was hit by lightning.
4. The torrential rains also led to waterlogging across major cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Mathura, bringing traffic to a standstill. In the capital alone, civic authorities reported that between 100 and 200 trees had been uprooted.
5. Key areas such as Minto Bridge, ITO, RK Puram’s Major Somnath Marg, and Khanpur were submerged, causing gridlocks that lasted for hours.
6. Power supply was also affected. Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) reported 22 outage complaints, which were mostly resolved within an hour. BSES, another major power provider, temporarily cut electricity in some low-lying areas to prevent accidents due to waterlogging.
About The Author
