Heavy Rain Disrupts Delhi: Over 100 Flights Delayed

Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and hailstorms severely disrupted life in India’s national capital, Delhi, and its surrounding areas (NCR) in the early hours of Friday. While the downpour brought relief from intense heat, it caused significant disturbances to air travel.

Airport authorities reported that over 100 flights were delayed, and more than 40 had to be diverted due to the adverse weather conditions. The dense cloud cover over Delhi triggered the disruption. According to the Palam Weather Centre, wind speeds reached 74 kmph, while at Pragati Maidan, gusts peaked at 78 kmph between 5:30 a.m. and 5:50 a.m.

Several key areas including Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram, and Dwarka were submerged due to sudden rainfall, leading to severe traffic disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi, predicting gusty winds between 70 and 80 kmph in the coming hours. The alert is expected to remain in effect until 8:30 a.m.

Given the weather conditions, Delhi airport authorities advised travelers through a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to check with respective airlines for updates on their flights. Airlines such as Air India and IndiGo also issued similar advisories. The IMD recommended that residents stay indoors, keep windows closed, and avoid traveling until conditions improve.

Reports also indicated that hailstorms occurred in some parts of Delhi-NCR. Air India stated that flight operations across other parts of North India were also affected.