Delhi storm: 49 flights diverted, several delayed overnight
What's the story
A powerful thunderstorm hit Delhi overnight, bringing heavy rain and strong winds of up to 82km/h. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 81.2mm of rainfall in six hours from 11:30pm to 5:30am. The storm caused major disruptions at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with 49 flights being diverted between 11:30pm and 4:00am due to bad weather conditions.
Airport update
Flight operations resume, but delays persist
IndiGo confirmed "temporary disruptions in flight operations" on the social media platform X at 3:59am, adding that airside congestion was easing. By 5:54am, IndiGo announced that flight operations had resumed with clearer skies over Delhi. However, flight tracking site Flightradar24.com reported several flights were still delayed, with average departure delays exceeding 30 minutes.
City impact
Severe waterlogging and traffic congestion across Delhi
The storm also caused severe waterlogging on key roads like Moti Bagh and Minto Road. Visuals from Delhi Cantonment showed a bus and a vehicle submerged in a flooded underpass. Other affected areas included ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Subroto Park, Nanakpura Underpass, and Chanakyapuri, where severe waterlogging led to massive traffic congestion.
Pre-storm warning
Airport authorities issue weather alert ahead of storm
In anticipation of the storm, airport authorities had issued a weather alert around 10:30pm Saturday. They warned travelers about possible disruptions and suggested using alternative transport modes such as the Delhi Metro to avoid traffic congestion caused by waterlogging. Despite resuming operations, Delhi Airport confirmed that "adverse weather conditions" affected some flights on Sunday morning.
Twitter Post
Video of waterlogging
VIDEO | Delhi rains: The road leading Terminal 3 of IGI Airport is still waterlogged causing inconvenience to travellers. #Delhi #DelhiWeather #Delhirains pic.twitter.com/01O0Q018Dv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 25, 2025