A powerful early morning storm swept through Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday, bringing intense rain, hail, and high-speed winds that disrupted life across the city. Dozens of flights were affected, and a tragic incident in Dwarka claimed four lives.

The heavy downpour, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds, caused chaos at Delhi airport. Over 40 flights had to be rerouted, and nearly 100 faced delays. Airlines such as Air India and IndiGo urged travellers to check flight statuses due to disruptions not only in Delhi but throughout northern India.

In a devastating incident in Jaffarpur Kalan, Dwarka, a neem tree was uprooted by the storm and crashed onto a tube well structure in Khadkhadi Nahar village. Jyoti, a 26-year-old woman, and her three children died on the spot despite emergency rescue operations by police and fire officials. Her husband, Ajay, suffered minor injuries.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert early Friday, warning of severe storms with wind speeds reaching up to 80 kmph. This was later scaled down to an orange alert as conditions began to ease.

Wind speeds recorded across the city were intense — 80 kmph at Safdarjung, 78 kmph at Pragati Maidan, 74 kmph in Jaffarpura and Palam, and over 50 kmph in several other areas including Najafgarh and IGNOU. Rainfall was also significant: Lodhi Road registered 78 mm, Ridge 59.2 mm, Ayanagar 39.4 mm, and Safdarjung 7.7 cm by 8:30 am. Within just three hours, nearly 8 cm of rain was logged.

The temperature also plummeted sharply — from 28°C at 5 am to just 19°C by 5:30 am.

Several parts of the city, including Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram and Dwarka, were waterlogged, severely affecting morning commutes.

In a statement, Delhi Airport confirmed that while operations continued, weather conditions had impacted flight schedules. "Our ground teams are working closely with all stakeholders to maintain passenger comfort and safety," the statement read.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited areas hit hard by the downpour, including Majnu Ka Tilla and ITO, to assess damage and oversee relief efforts.

Thunderstorm Alerts Across India

The IMD warned of further severe weather in other regions. Thunderstorms with lightning, hail and squally winds are expected in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, southwest Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern West Bengal, and northern coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Odisha is on alert for lightning and heavy showers in districts such as Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Rayagada. Wind speeds may touch 60-70 kmph, and people have been advised to seek shelter in safe buildings and avoid open areas or electrical infrastructure.

Farmers have been urged to pause fieldwork due to the adverse forecast.

Earlier in the week, a similar storm in Odisha uprooted trees at Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence. The nor’wester — Kalbaisakhi — ended a long heatwave but left behind a trail of damage, including felled trees and power disruptions.