Delhi rain triggers severe waterlogging, affects flight operations at IGI airport | Latest News India

Heavy rainfall early Sunday morning triggered severe waterlogging in several areas of Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR). Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were also disrupted due to inclement weather conditions. At least 49 flights were diverted, including 17 international ones, between 11:30 PM and 4:00 AM.

Waterlogged roads slow down morning traffic in parts of Delhi(HT Photo)

Thunderstorms and strong winds, reaching speeds up to 60 km/hour, lashed Delhi on Sunday morning, with temperatures recorded at 21.2 degrees Celsius.

The IMD had issued a red alert for Delhi and nearby regions earlier on Saturday, warning residents of heavy thunderstorms, strong winds, and lightning. “A thunderstorm cell is approaching Delhi and adjoining areas from the west/northwest,” the IMD said earlier as part of its “Nowcast” advisory.

Waterlogging in parts of Delhi

Visuals from various parts of the national capital showed the extent of disruption caused by the heavy rainfall. In some places, water levels rose high enough to submerge smaller vehicles.

One particularly alarming scene was reported from Minto Road, where a car was seen almost fully underwater. The Moti Bagh and road near Terminal 1 of the Delhi Airport also reported similar conditions.

The traffic in Dhaula Kuan crawled slowly on early Sunday morning as streets remained heavily waterlogged following the overnight rainfall. Commuters faced delays as standing water on key stretches disrupted the normal flow of vehicles in the area.

The heavy rainfall also affected parts of Haryana, including Jhajjar and Karnal, where thunderstorms and strong winds were reported.

Flight operations hit at Delhi airport

Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were disrupted early Sunday morning due to heavy rainfall and strong winds. Several departures were delayed, and a few flights were cancelled, as per data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24.com. The average delay for outgoing flights exceeded 30 minutes, PTI reported.

Low visibility and wet runways contributed to temporary airside congestion. IndiGo Airlines posted on X at 3:59 a.m. that “adverse weather conditions over Delhi had led to temporary disruptions in flight operations.” The airline later updated at 5:54 a.m. that with clearer skies, normal operations had resumed, the agency reported.

Delhi airport has issued a passenger advisory, urging travelers to regularly check their flight status and stay in contact with airline staff.

Monsoon hits India early

While Delhi battles local storms, the broader weather pattern signals a seasonal shift. The IMD confirmed the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest onset since 2009.

The monsoon has also reached parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, the Lakshadweep area, the Bay of Bengal, and parts of the northeast.

Earlier last week, similar weather conditions led to power disruptions in various parts of Delhi. Areas including Bawana, Narela, Jahangirpuri, Civil Lines, Shakti Nagar, Model Town, Wazirabad, Dhirpur, and Burari experienced outages after a dust storm and rainfall hit the region.

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