Portion of Delhi airport's roof collapses after heavy rain, DIAL says swift action ensured safety and minimal disruption

The downpour caused significant traffic disruptions, waterlogging, and flight delays.

A portion of Delhi airport's roof collapsed on Sunday morning when heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms lashed the national capital and the National Capital Region (NCR). However, Delhi International Airport (DIAL) in a statement said swift action ensured safety and minimal disruption.

The downpour caused significant traffic disruptions, waterlogging, and flight delays. A police officer died after the roof of the Assistant Commissioner's office collapsed during the torrential rain. As per the latest data from IMD, the highest wind speed was reported at Safdarjung (Airport) at 82 km/h last night at around 2 am, followed by 76 km/h at Pragati Maidan. The lowest wind speed was reported at 37 km/h at Delhi University (North Delhi).

Several vehicles were seen stalled due to waterlogging in the underpass towards the airport. The main underpass connecting Delhi to the airport experienced severe waterlogging due to the overnight rainfall. As a result, dozens of vehicles were submerged and damaged.

The IMD had forecast on Saturday said that a duststorm followed by a thunderstorm and rain would hit Delhi and adjoining states, accompanied by gusty winds with speeds ranging from 60 to 100 km per hour. The conditions unfolded largely as predicted.  The sudden change in weather led to a sharp drop in mercury with the city recording a minimum temperature of 19.8 degrees Celsius, 6.9 notches below the normal.