Following a strong dust storm, massive chaos ensued at Delhi Airport owing to flight delays as gusty winds impacted flight operations which led to a major inconvenience for hundreds of passengers on Friday. As per media reports, over 200 flights were delayed, and at least 50 flights were diverted from their scheduled destination.
On Friday, the strong dust storm killed a 67-year-old man and injured another after a construction material fell on them from the roof of a building in the Chander Vihar area while a 13-year-old boy was injured after a newly constructed balcony of a building collapsed in Karol Bagh area.
Flight Ops Hit At Delhi Airport
The sudden storm led to chaos at airports as around 200 flights got delayed and around 25 flights were diverted to various nearby airports. According to the passengers who posted on X, the average departure delay was of an hour.
In view the chaotic situation, Air India and IndiGo issued advisories on X. Taking to the social media platforms, many passengers shared their ordeal.
"Although the dust storm has passed, its effects continue to impact flight operations in Delhi and Jaipur. Delays and schedule changes maybe expected as airports work to stabilize operations. If you're scheduled to travel, we recommend checking your flight status frequently. If needed, explore flexible rebooking options on our website", IndiGo Posted on X.
"We're actively monitoring the situation and working to restore normal operations as soon as possible. We appreciate your continued support and understanding", they further added.
"After the dust storm, many flights were diverted and cancelled, and this caused inconvenience to passengers waiting for their flights at Delhi airport. The diverted flight took time to reach Delhi, and this led to rush at the airport," an official told news agency ANI.
"Utter chaos at @DelhiAirport T3- flights not taking off, pax stranded - duty staff clueless. Fm a friend at Gate 44AB now. ‘We should hv boarded for Mumbai at 0455…No information… incompetence is visible, foreigners laughing at us. Old people suffering.” Pls intervene @RamMNK @DGCAIndia", another passenger posted on X.
"Indigo flight from Kolkata to Delhi got rescheduled 6times from evening. @IndiGo6E are you taking the passengers for granted?? People are already 6hrs late for this," another user wrote.
IMD Issues Advisory
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert, which indicates that residents should "be prepared" and "take action" as per its color-coded advisory in line with the predictions of thunderstorms with rain on Saturday.
The weather watchdog also recommended that people to stay indoors, secure windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel, among other things.
Dust Storm In Delhi-NCR
The national capital on Friday experienced a sudden change in weather in the evening, with sharp temperature drops at weather stations which later led to a massive dust storm. Delhi witnessed sunny weather during the day but by evening, the sky turned cloudy.
According to the IMD, wind speed data showed that IGI Airport reported gusts of wind at 74 kmph, Pragati Maidan at 70 kmph, and Lodhi Road at 69 kmph. Wind speeds ranged from 37 kmph in Najafgarh to 56 kmph in Safdarjung.
At Palam, the temperature dropped by 10 degrees Celsius and at Safdarjung weather station, the mercury dipped by 7 degrees Celsius due to the dust storm, the weather office said.
Civic bodies have received several calls on uprooted trees in several parts, including Feroz Shah Road, Ashoka Road, Mandi House, and Connaught Place.
Thunderstorms led to power disruptions in several parts of the city, primarily due to trees and branches falling on electricity cables. An electric pole has also fallen at ITO.
Emergency Services Deployed
The maintenance teams were immediately deployed to bring the situation under control. Power supply has been restored in most areas, with efforts ongoing to resolve issues in a few remaining pockets, he added.
BSES Operations and Maintenance teams were also on high alert. In most cases, the power supply was restored promptly. However, in some areas, it took slightly longer in view of safety concerns, a BSES spokesperson said.
