4 dead, dozens of flights delayed as storms lash Delhi-NCR

Strong winds, heavy rains, and thunderstorms battered Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday, causing significant disruptions and claiming lives. Four people, including a 26-year-old woman and her three children, died after a tree collapsed on a tubewell room in Kharkhari Canal village, Dwarka. The woman's husband sustained minor injuries, according to Delhi Police.

Flight operations were severely impacted as gusty winds and intense rainfall disrupted schedules at the Delhi airport. Media reports citing FlightRadar said arrivals were delayed by an average of 46 minutes and departures by 54 minutes. Around 40 flights were diverted and nearly 100 delayed due to adverse weather conditions.

Airlines, including Air India, urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. “Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted, which is likely to impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimize disruptions,” Air India said in a statement on X.

The weather, while bringing relief from intense heat, also caused major traffic snarls and waterlogging in several parts of the capital, including Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension, Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar, and Moti Bagh.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi, forecasting severe thunderstorms and squally winds up to 80 kmph. Palam recorded wind speeds of 74 kmph as a dense cloud mass passed over the city. Thunderstorms with rain are expected to continue through Saturday, the IMD added.

Several regions in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan were also affected by the storm system. A fresh Western disturbance is expected to bring further rain and strong winds to northwest India starting May 2, impacting Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and surrounding areas.

The IMD has also forecast rainfall and snowfall in parts of Himachal Pradesh and dust storms in isolated areas across Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

In Jafarpur Kalan, Dwarka as strong winds and heavy rainfall led to the collapse of a tree on a tubewell room, which killed four members of a family.

The incident occurred during a sudden thunderstorm that swept parts of Delhi, prompting a red alert.

According to officials, the tree fell due to gusty winds, crushing the small structure where a family had taken shelter. Jyoti and her three children were trapped under the debris. Despite prompt efforts by rescue teams and the fire department, all four were declared dead upon arrival at Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Memorial Hospital in Jafarpur Kalan.

Ajay, Jyoti’s husband and the father of the deceased children sustained minor injuries in the collapse. He has been discharged after receiving first aid. Ajay is the son of Phool Singh Kushwaha, a resident of the same locality.

Emergency response teams acted swiftly following distress calls, with personnel from both the police and fire departments coordinating rescue efforts. Locals also assisted in the immediate aftermath, attempting to clear debris before professional teams arrived.

This tragedy comes amid widespread disruptions across the national Capital caused by heavy downpours.

 (With inputs from syndicated feed)