New Delhi:
A massive storm, followed by rain, hit Delhi and Noida this evening, disrupting traffic and leading to waterlogging and power cuts in several areas. Hoardings fell and trees were uprooted in many localities, with some areas reporting wind speeds of up to 79 kmph. Airlines also issued advisories, saying the change in weather might impact flight operations. Gusty winds swept over the capital city and Noida, leaving shattered windows and damaged hoardings in their wake.
A hailstorm in Delhi’s Lodi Road, and 79 kmph wind was reported over Safdarjung. Visuals showed trees swaying violently due to strong winds.
Even as the pre-monsoon showers came as a relief to people in the searing heat, many trees and hoardings in the national capital toppled due to the storm.
A video shot by a passenger showed a mid-air plane during turbulence. The video, shot by Sheikh Samiullah, co-founder of a startup, showed the seats of the Delhi-Srinagar flight shaking amid turbulent weather. The plane later landed in Srinagar, with a damaged nose.
I had a narrow escape while flying from Delhi to Srinagar. Flight number #6E2142. Hats off to the captain for the safe landing.@IndiGo6E pic.twitter.com/tNEKwGOT4q
— Sheikh Samiullah (@_iamsamiullah) May 21, 2025
In a post on X, the Delhi airport said flight operations might be impacted due to the inclement weather, advising passengers to contact the concerned airlines for an updated flight schedule.
Passenger Advisory issued at 20:29 Hours#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory #BadWeather pic.twitter.com/WrQYP42x6b
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) May 21, 2025
In separate advisories, Air India and IndiGo advised passengers to check their flight status before reaching the airport.
#6ETravelAdvisory: Heavy rain and thunderstorm in #Delhi, #Chandigarh and #Kolkata is impacting flights. We understand weather delays are never easy, we sincerely appreciate your patience. Do check your flight status before heading to the airport https://t.co/IEBbuCsa3e pic.twitter.com/MSO8qLlIEw
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 21, 2025
Rain and thunderstorms may disrupt flights to/from Delhi this evening.
Please check your flight status here https://t.co/5vemTROi62 before heading to the airport and allow extra time for your journey.
— Air India (@airindia) May 21, 2025
A series of western disturbances have been affecting northern India, bringing intermittent rainfall and thunderstorms. In addition, a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea is pushing moist air into Delhi, raising humidity levels significantly.
Metro services were also briefly hampered in some areas, with The Delhi Metro saying, “external objects fell onto metro tracks at certain locations”.
