Heavy Rainfall Causes Widespread Disruption Across Delhi, NCR; Flight Ops At IGI Airport Affected

Torrential rain early on Sunday morning led to severe waterlogging in several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were also affected, with delays and a handful of cancellations due to heavy rainfall, strong winds, and congestion on the airside.

Photo Credit: PTI

Delhi was battered by thunderstorms and high winds reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h on Sunday morning, with temperatures recorded at 21.2°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Delhi and surrounding areas on Saturday, warning of intense thunderstorms, powerful winds, and lightning.

"A thunderstorm cell is approaching Delhi and adjoining areas from the west/northwest," the IMD stated in a "Nowcast" advisory.

Waterlogging Reported

Images from across the capital revealed the extent of the disruption. In some locations, floodwaters rose high enough to submerge smaller vehicles.

A particularly troubling scene was observed at Minto Road, where a car was seen nearly fully underwater-highlighting long-standing issues with the area's drainage infrastructure. Near Terminal 1 of the airport, roads resembled flowing streams, posing challenges for both travellers and airport staff. Similar conditions were reported in Moti Bagh.

In Dhaula Kuan, traffic was at a near standstill on Sunday morning as major roads remained submerged following overnight downpours. Motorists experienced significant delays as stagnant water obstructed normal vehicular movement.

The heavy showers also extended into parts of Haryana, including Jhajjar and Karnal, where thunderstorms and strong winds were recorded.

Flight Operations Disrupted at IGI Airport

Flight services at Delhi's IGIA faced disruption in the early hours of Sunday due to adverse weather conditions. Several outbound flights were delayed, and a few were cancelled, according to data from the flight tracking site Flightradar24.com. The average delay for departures exceeded 30 minutes, according to PTI.

Reduced visibility and waterlogged runways contributed to temporary airside congestion. IndiGo Airlines posted on X at 3:59 a.m. that adverse weather over Delhi had temporarily impacted flight operations. However, an update at 5:54 a.m. confirmed that services had resumed as skies began to clear.

As India's busiest airport, IGIA experienced a gradual return to normalcy as weather conditions improved.

Early Arrival of Monsoon

While Delhi contends with localised storms, wider weather patterns suggest the onset of the monsoon season. The IMD confirmed the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest onset since 2009.

The monsoon has also reached regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, the Lakshadweep Islands, the Bay of Bengal, and parts of northeastern India.

Power Cuts and Weather-Related Damage

Earlier in the week, similar weather events led to power outages across various parts of Delhi. Localities such as Bawana, Narela, Jahangirpuri, Civil Lines, Shakti Nagar, Model Town, Wazirabad, Dhirpur, and Burari experienced disruptions following a dust storm and rainfall.