New Delhi: A severe dust storm tore through Delhi on Friday evening, marking a chaotic end to the week at the city’s major airport. Hundreds of flights were impacted, highlighting the vulnerability of air travel to unpredictable weather conditions. The storm not only crippled flight operations but also left a trail of damage across the city, affecting power supplies and leading to the fall of trees and other debris.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced its most significant disruptions in recent months. Over 200 flights were delayed, and at least 50 were diverted due to the adverse weather conditions. This mass disruption resulted in an average departure delay of about an hour, compounding the frustration of passengers. Many were left stranded, some for over 12 hours, as flights were either diverted to nearby airports or postponed indefinitely.
Airlines such as Air India and IndiGo responded quickly by issuing advisories. However, passengers were not placated, taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the lack of communication and support from airline staff. The situation was exacerbated by the congestion at the airport as diverted flights finally began to arrive, creating a surge in passenger traffic.
The India Meteorological Department issued an ‘orange’ alert for the day, warning of thunderstorms and lightning. In addition to the airport chaos, the storm caused significant disruptions to daily life in Delhi. Many trees were uprooted, leading to power outages in areas such as Narela, Bawana, Badli, and Mangolpuri.
As the situation continues to unfold, airlines have urged passengers to check their flight statuses regularly. This advice is particularly important as weather conditions remain unpredictable, with forecasts suggesting more thunderstorms in the coming days.
