NEW DELHI: A sudden dust storm followed by heavy rain wreaked havoc in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday, leaving four dead and disrupting flight operations. In Delhi’s Dwarka, a woman and her three children died after a tree collapsed onto their room during strong winds.
The storm caused flight delays and diversions, with three aircraft rerouted to Ahmedabad and Jaipur, including flights from Bengaluru and Pune. Delhi airport experienced average delays of 21 minutes for arrivals and 61 minutes for departures, with over 20 flights running late.
Airlines, including Air India, issued alerts about potential disruptions and advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling. The Delhi airport said ground staff are working to minimize inconvenience.
Heavy rain led to waterlogging in several areas, including Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension, Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar, and Moti Bagh. Strong winds uprooted trees and damaged property, though full assessments are pending.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported wind speeds of 70–80 kmph and issued a yellow alert for the city till Saturday, forecasting more rain and thunderstorms. Wednesday’s maximum temperature was 38.1°C, slightly below normal, with a drop to 19.8°C after the storm.
The IMD expects frequent and intense thunderstorms across north India in May, likely keeping temperatures below last year’s record highs. Rainfall is predicted to exceed 109% of the long-period average for the month.
