Severe storm triggers water logging across Delhi-NCR, causes flight delays
Delhi rain: Flight operations were also disrupted as gusty winds, ranging between 60 and 100 km/h, swept through Delhi-NCR.
A severe thunderstorm lashed the national capital in the early hours of Sunday, triggering widespread waterlogging, uprooting trees, and causing power outages across several areas. Flight operations were significantly impacted as gusty winds, ranging between 60 and 100 km/h, swept through Delhi-NCR.
With this latest spell of rain — 81.2 mm recorded till 5:30 am — Delhi has already received 186.2 mm of rainfall this month, making it the wettest May on record. The previous record stood at 165 mm in May 2008, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
The IMD had issued a red alert for the region on Saturday night, forecasting light to moderate rain accompanied by a severe thunderstorm, lightning, hail, and squally winds of 60–100 km/h. The alert was issued at 10:30 pm, warning of impacts over the next two hours. At 9:30 pm, an orange alert had been issued, with winds forecast to reach up to 70 km/h for a brief period.
Flights Delayed and Diverted
Operations at the Delhi airport were severely impacted. Over 200 flights were delayed during the storm, and 49 flights were diverted to nearby airports between 11:30 pm and 4:00 am, an airport official confirmed. Of these, 17 were international flights. FlightRadar24 showed the average delay time was around 45 minutes, as strong winds and lightning made it unsafe for aircraft to land or take off.
Wind Speed and Temperature Drop
The IMD reported that wind speed in Delhi peaked around 2:00 am, touching 82 km/h at Safdarjung and 72 km/h at Palam. The storm also caused a sharp dip in temperature between 1:15 am and 2:30 am. At Safdarjung, the temperature fell from 31°C to 21°C, while at Palam, it dropped from 29°C to 22°C. Delhi's minimum temperature was logged at 19.8°C, which is seven degrees below normal.
Punjab and Haryana Also Affected
The intense storm initially hit parts of Punjab and Haryana before moving southeastward and impacting Delhi between 12:30 am and 2:30 am. Rainfall continued in some parts of the region until 5:30 am and beyond, according to officials.
Prior to the storm, the IMD had issued a public advisory urging residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, unplug electrical appliances, refrain from taking shelter under trees, and keep emergency kits or flashlights ready.
Repeated Storms Wreak Havoc in May
This has been an unusually wet and stormy May for Delhi, marked by a series of sudden and intense dust storms and thunderstorms. In three previous major weather events this month, at least 12 deaths have been reported in the city due to house collapses, electrocution, and falling trees.
On May 2, Delhi recorded 77 mm of rain in a single day — the second-highest May rainfall on record. That storm caused widespread damage, including collapsed homes and fallen power poles. At least five people were killed, including a 28-year-old woman and her three children in Dwarka after their house collapsed, and a 25-year-old construction worker who was electrocuted in Green Park.
On May 17, gusty winds and an intense downpour struck again, leading to four fatalities. Three labourers died after an under-construction house collapsed in Paharganj, and one person died in a wall collapse in Prahladpur near Shahbad Dairy.
On May 21, another powerful storm with wind speeds touching 80 km/h and hail in parts of the city led to three more deaths.
Impact Across Delhi
Sunday's storm led to severe waterlogging in multiple areas. Visuals showed a submerged car on Minto Road and major inundation in regions such as Delhi Cantt, Dhaula Kuan, and areas near the airport.
