Weather Havoc at Delhi Airport: 14 Flights Diverted, Over 350 Delayed Amid Sudden Storm
New Delhi: Severe weather conditions disrupted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi on Sunday evening, leading to the diversion of 14 flights and delays in over 350 flights, causing chaos for air travelers.
According to airport sources, between 4:30 PM and 6:10 PM, turbulent weather forced multiple aircraft to change course. Of the 14 diverted flights, seven were sent to Jaipur, two each to Chandigarh and Amritsar, and one each to Ahmedabad, Dehradun, and Lucknow. The data was also reflected on aviation tracking portal FlightRadar, which showed widespread delays affecting hundreds of scheduled flights.
IGI Airport, being India’s busiest aviation hub, experienced significant operational challenges as dust storms, lightning, and heavy winds swept across the national capital.
While air traffic suffered, the weather change brought much-needed relief from the intense summer heat. Areas like Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad also experienced cooler temperatures and shared videos and images of the dramatic weather on social media, showing trees swaying violently in the storm.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an Orange Alert for parts of Delhi-NCR, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds, and light rain. The alert covered regions like Greater Noida, Manesar, Ballabhgarh, and surrounding areas for the next two hours during the storm’s peak.
IMD reported that Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 27.2°C, slightly above the seasonal average by 0.3°C, while the maximum temperature touched 37.9°C. Relative humidity ranged between 51% and 56%, further contributing to the stormy conditions.
Authorities have urged travelers to check flight statuses in advance and advised caution as more unstable weather conditions are expected in the coming days.
