3 children, mother killed in house collapse as storm wreaks havoc in Delhi; flight operations hit

Over 100 flights delayed, 3 diverted to Jaipur and Ahmedabad due to weather disruptions at Delhi airport.

The storm brought a sudden drop in temperatures, with the mercury plunging from 26.8°C on Thursday night to around 19°C on Friday morningPhotos | Express

Four members of a family, including three children, died in a house collapse in Delhi’s Najafgarh area early Friday morning. A powerful storm had hit the city with heavy rain and strong winds. It disrupted normal life, grounded flights, and flooded roads.

“We received a call regarding a house collapse in Kharkari Nahar village in Najafgarh at 5.25 am.“Multiple teams reached the spot and rescued four people from the rubble,” said an official of the Delhi Fire Services. He added that doctors at a nearby hospital declared all four dead.

The tubewell room collapsed after a tree fell on it during gusty winds, officials said. The victims were identified as Jyoti, her sons Aryan (7), Rishabh (5), and infant Priyansh (7 months). Jyoti’s husband, Ajay, sustained injuries to his chest and wrist. 

Triggered by dense cloud cover, the pre-monsoon thunderstorm swept through Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) around dawn, knocking down trees, damaging infrastructure, and causing widespread waterlogging in areas such as the Dwarka underpass, Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar, and Khanpur.

The storm significantly affected flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Airlines diverted at least three incoming flights—two to Jaipur and one to Ahmedabad—and delayed more than 100 flights, according to data from Flightradar24.

Air India also reported disruptions to its operations across northern India. “Some of our flights to and from Delhi are delayed or diverted, which may impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to reduce delays,” the airline said.

The IGI Airport, the busiest in the country, handles around 1,300 flight movements daily

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Delhi at 7 am, warning of heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds ranging from 40 to 90 km/hr. It later revised the alert to orange as conditions marginally improved.

Wind speeds reached up to 78 km/hr at Pragati Maidan, 74 at Palam, and over 60 in Pitampura and Najafgarh. Rainfall levels varied across the city, with Safdarjung recording 77 mm, Lodhi Road 78 mm, Pitampura 32 mm, and Palam 30 mm, according to IMD data.

The storm caused a sudden drop in temperature. It fell from 26.8°C on Thursday night to around 19°C on Friday morning. This brought temporary relief from the ongoing heatwave. The IMD has forecast more rain and gusty winds until May 7. Daytime temperatures will likely stay between 26°C and 35°C.

As a safety measure, authorities urged residents to remain indoors, avoid sheltering under trees, unplug appliances, and stay away from metal structures and water bodies. The IMD also warned of tree falls, power cuts, and communication line disruptions.

The heavy rain and strong winds improved Delhi’s air quality. It had remained in the “poor” category for weeks. Pollution levels dropped to “moderate.” As a result, the Commission for Air Quality Management lifted emergency curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Read More: https://newstapone.com/2025/04/12/delhi-ncr-dust-storm-disrupts-flights-shakes-residents/