New Delhi, May 2, 2025 –
A sudden and violent storm struck Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday evening, killing four people, halting metro lines, grounding flights, and paralyzing traffic across the city. The thunderstorm, accompanied by strong winds and intense rainfall, transformed a hot summer day into a night of mayhem within minutes, exposing the city’s fragile infrastructure and lack of preparedness for extreme weather events.
Nature’s Wrath: High-Speed Winds and Flash Rainfall
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded wind speeds reaching up to 100 km/h, the highest in the city this season. What began as a mild dust storm quickly evolved into a thunderous squall, dropping the temperature from over 40°C to just above 25°C in less than an hour.
Lightning flashed across the skyline while tree branches, hoardings, and debris flew through the air. IMD classified the storm as a severe convective system driven by western disturbances and a heat-low formation over northwestern India.
“It was a textbook case of sudden pre-monsoon convection,” said Dr. Soma Sen Roy, an IMD meteorologist. “But the damage it caused shows how underprepared we are for even short-lived events like this.”
Human Tragedy: Four Dead, Several Injured
Among the four confirmed casualties were a 56-year-old woman from Pandav Nagar who was fatally injured when a large tree branch snapped and struck her during the storm. In South Delhi’s Jaitpur, a 19-year-old boy died when a wall collapsed due to heavy winds.
In the most heart-wrenching incident, three members of a family — a man, his wife, and their young daughter — were killed in their sleep when a tree toppled onto their shelter in the Yamuna floodplains area. A fourth family member was critically injured and rushed to LNJP Hospital.
Local officials said rescue operations were delayed in some places due to obstructed roads and poor visibility.
Airport Gridlock: Hundreds of Flights Disrupted
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) witnessed unprecedented delays and diversions. Over 200 flights, both domestic and international, were affected. Airlines had to cancel or reroute several aircraft to airports in Jaipur, Lucknow, and Amritsar as runway operations were hampered by wind shear and waterlogging.
For hours, passengers remained stranded inside the terminals and aircraft. “We were taxiing for takeoff when the pilot announced we’d be waiting out the storm. We spent over 90 minutes on the tarmac,” said Neeraj Kaul, a traveler en route to Bengaluru.
Airport officials confirmed that damage to some ground equipment and signal infrastructure added to the delay. Full operations resumed after midnight, though backlogs continued till Friday morning.
Metro and Rail Network Disrupted
The Delhi Metro also bore the brunt of the storm. Services were suspended on portions of the Violet and Blue lines after multiple trees collapsed onto metro tracks and damaged overhead electrical wiring. Services were restored after nearly two hours of repair and debris removal, though trains continued to run at reduced frequency due to safety checks.
Meanwhile, the Northern Railway reported delays in several outbound and inbound trains, particularly on routes through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Fallen trees and electrical issues at key junctions slowed train movement for hours.
Road Chaos and Power Blackouts
The storm led to a near-total traffic breakdown in several parts of Delhi-NCR. Waterlogging, fallen trees, and malfunctioning traffic lights led to massive jams on major roads such as the Outer Ring Road, Aurobindo Marg, NH-48, and the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway.
Emergency teams from the Public Works Department (PWD) and local municipal corporations were dispatched to clear obstructions and assist stranded motorists.
Power outages hit large swathes of South Delhi, West Delhi, and parts of Noida and Ghaziabad, lasting several hours in some locations. Distribution companies said over 150 electricity feeders were affected by the storm, either due to fallen lines or tripped circuits.
“We had no power for six hours and the elevator in our building got stuck. It was scary,” said Prerna Sharma, a resident of Vasant Kunj.
Emergency Response and Civic Action
The Delhi Fire Service received over 175 distress calls related to fallen trees, collapsed structures, and electrical fires. Additional fire engines were deployed overnight, and civic workers toiled past dawn to clear streets and restore services.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta addressed the media on Friday morning, expressing condolences and announcing ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for families of the deceased. “The intensity of the storm was unexpected. Our disaster management teams are fully mobilized, and a damage assessment is underway,” she said.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has also issued an advisory for residents, urging them to secure loose objects on balconies, stay indoors during windstorms, and avoid parking vehicles under trees or hoardings.
Climate Concerns: A Sign of Things to Come?
Environmentalists say the storm is another indicator of Delhi’s vulnerability to climate-induced weather extremes. “We’re seeing an increase in high-intensity, short-duration storms. These are fueled by heat buildup, poor land use, and unregulated construction,” said Dr. Shreya Bhattacharya, an urban climate researcher.
Urban planners argue that Delhi’s outdated drainage systems, densely packed construction, and lack of emergency readiness exacerbate the impact of such events.
“If a one-hour storm can cripple the city like this, what happens during the monsoon?” asked civic activist Aman Jaiswal. “We need early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and climate-sensitive urban policy.”
Voices from the City
Citizens took to social media to express both shock and anger. While many shared videos of the storm’s fury — showing uprooted trees, submerged roads, and flying debris — others criticized the authorities for not issuing timely warnings.
“I got an alert from a private weather app, but nothing official,” said Shubham Joshi, a resident of Dwarka. “The city needs a reliable real-time alert system for disasters.”
Municipal bodies acknowledged the need for improved communication and announced plans to integrate SMS alerts, public sirens, and real-time weather notifications into their emergency protocols.
