A fierce thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain lashed the national capital Wednesday evening, claiming the lives of a 22-year-old man and a person with a disability, while injuring at least 11 others in separate incidents, authorities said.
At approximately 7:50 p.m., a high-voltage electricity pole collapsed near the Lodhi Road flyover in southeast Delhi’s Nizamuddin area during the storm, striking a man with a disability riding a tricycle.
“He was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital but was declared dead on arrival,” a Delhi Police officer said to PTI news agency.
Efforts to identify the deceased are ongoing, with police reviewing CCTV footage and local inquiries.
In a separate incident in northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri area, 22-year-old Azhar, a resident of Vijay Mohalla in Maujpur, was fatally injured around 8:15 p.m. when a tree fell on him and two motorcycles.
He was transported to Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The storm’s strong winds uprooted numerous trees across the city, with social media platforms flooded with videos showing trees crashing onto moving vehicles.
One such incident involved a tree falling on a parked car on Mathura Road, causing significant damage but no reported injuries.
At least six people were injured when a portion of an aging foot overbridge’s grill collapsed near Mukherjee Nagar in north Delhi.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received a call about the incident at 8:11 p.m.
“Five to six individuals sustained injuries and were promptly attended to,” a DFS officer confirmed.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, though their conditions remain undisclosed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported wind speeds of up to 60 kmph and 26.4 mm of rainfall in Delhi between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., triggering widespread disruption.
The storm impacted air travel, with Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) reporting that 13 flights were diverted—12 to Jaipur and one international flight to Mumbai—due to adverse weather conditions.
“Flight operations may continue to be affected by the inclement weather,” a DIAL spokesperson said.
IndiGo, one of India’s largest airlines, posted on X: “Our flight schedules are currently impacted due to heavy rains and thunderstorms sweeping across Delhi, Chandigarh, and Kolkata.”
The airline urged passengers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport.
The Delhi Traffic Police reported multiple road blockages due to fallen trees and waterlogging, particularly on Mathura Road, Ring Road, and in parts of south and east Delhi. Emergency services worked through the evening to clear debris and restore normalcy.
The IMD has forecasted continued rain and gusty winds in Delhi and surrounding areas through Thursday, urging residents to exercise caution. Authorities are investigating the structural integrity of the collapsed foot overbridge and the circumstances surrounding the fallen electricity pole to prevent future incidents.
