The death toll has risen to 11 following this week’s unexpected heavy rainfall in New Delhi, with four individuals tragically drowning in submerged underpasses, according to the Times of India. The capital city, which recently endured one of its most severe heatwaves, experienced its heaviest rainfall in decades on June 28, with the single-day downpour exceeding the city’s average for the entire month.
Severe Disruption Across the City
The torrential rain led to a series of unfortunate events, including a fatal roof collapse at one of the three terminals at Delhi’s main airport. This incident, along with flooded underpasses and significant traffic jams, disrupted the city’s normal operations. Additionally, many areas experienced power and water outages, exacerbating the situation for residents.
Impact on Flight Operations
Flight operations at New Delhi’s primary airport were heavily affected, with nearly 60 flights canceled in the last 24 hours, as per data from flight tracking platform FlightAware. Although operations were mostly back to normal by Sunday, with flights from the affected terminal redirected to the other two terminals, an airport official indicated that further cancellations could occur throughout the day. The airport, one of the busiest in the country, has been working to manage the crisis.
Terminal Closures and Airline Responses
Terminal 1, which was closed due to the severe weather, is predominantly used by low-cost carriers such as IndiGo, operated by InterGlobe Aviation, and SpiceJet. This terminal has a capacity to handle 40 million passengers annually. While an Indigo spokesperson refrained from commenting on the flight cancellations, a representative from SpiceJet was not immediately available for comment.
As the city recovers from the aftermath of this unprecedented weather event, authorities and residents are grappling with the significant impacts and the ongoing challenges posed by such extreme weather conditions.