New Delhi: A powerful overnight thunderstorm brought much-needed respite from Delhi’s sweltering heat, but left behind a trail of disruption, including widespread power outages, waterlogging, and disrupted flight operations. Strong winds and heavy rain battered the city late Saturday night, catching many off-guard and causing damage across several parts of the capital.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that winds of up to 82 kmph swept through Delhi as the storm unfolded between 11:30 pm and 5:30 am. Safdarjung observatory recorded 81.2 mm of rain, while other areas like Palam, Pusa, and Mayur Vihar saw between 48 mm and 71 mm. The downpour caused temperatures to plunge, with the city recording a minimum of 19.8°C, almost 7 degrees below the seasonal average.
While the rain offered a break from the persistent heat, it also triggered massive civic issues. Waterlogging was reported in several low-lying areas, including the Minto Bridge underpass, ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Sarai Kale Khan, and Azadpur, among others. The Public Works Department (PWD) confirmed it received around 40 complaints related to waterlogging by Sunday morning.
Officials said disciplinary action is being initiated against PWD staff responsible for the Minto Bridge underpass, one of the city’s most notorious flooding spots. A junior engineer and pump operator are likely to be suspended, while a show-cause notice has been issued to the assistant engineer for supervisory lapses. The underpass had been previously marked as a critical point, with explicit instructions issued by PWD minister Parvesh Verma for preventive monitoring.
“This is not just about rain, it’s about negligence,” a government official stated, adding that the engineer-in-chief has now been tasked with warning all PWD officials to be vigilant at all 335 waterlogging-prone locations identified this year.
Power supply also took a major hit. Discoms reported that multiple areas, including Pitampura, Rohini, Narela, Mangolpuri, and Karawal Nagar, experienced outages. Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. and BSES discoms attributed the power cuts to damage caused by falling trees, waterlogging, and snapped cables. Quick Response Teams were dispatched through the night to restore electricity, with most areas getting supply back by Sunday morning. However, officials noted that in heavily affected zones, repairs took longer due to the need to wait for water levels to recede and to coordinate tree removal with civic bodies.
The storm also impacted air travel, with several incoming and outgoing flights delayed or diverted due to adverse weather conditions. While the storm provided a dramatic and much-welcome dip in temperature, the chaos it unleashed has reignited concerns about Delhi’s monsoon preparedness.