A severe thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall and gusty winds disrupted operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Friday, leading to the delay of over 500 flights and the diversion of three others.
The inclement weather also caused widespread waterlogging and traffic congestion across the city. The storm, which struck in the early hours, brought wind speeds of up to 100 km/h and resulted in Delhi experiencing its second-highest 24-hour rainfall in May since 1901. The intense weather conditions led to the collapse of a house, tragically killing a woman and her three children. Flight operations were severely affected, with two flights diverted to Jaipur and one to Ahmedabad. According to flight tracking data, the airport saw peak average delays of 50 minutes, which later reduced to around 35 minutes.
Airport authorities issued multiple advisories throughout the day, informing passengers about road blockages around the airport and advising the use of alternative transportation options like the Delhi Metro to avoid delays. Despite efforts to manage the situation, the cascading effect of the initial disruptions led to continued delays throughout the day. Airlines operating from IGIA, including major carriers, issued alerts to passengers, urging them to check their flight status before heading to the airport. The adverse weather conditions not only impacted flight schedules but also highlighted the vulnerability of urban infrastructure to extreme weather events.
The incident underscores the need for enhanced resilience in urban planning and infrastructure development to cope with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, which are often attributed to climate change. As cities like Delhi continue to grow, integrating sustainable and adaptive measures becomes crucial to ensure the safety and efficiency of essential services like air travel.
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