Chaos at Delhi Airport as Heavy Rains Flood Terminal 1; Flights Diverted, Staff Battle Water with Buckets and Mops
Chaos at Delhi Airport as Heavy Rains Flood Terminal 1; Flights Diverted, Staff Battle Water with Buckets and Mops
A sudden downpour on Tuesday turned scenes at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport into something out of a monsoon disaster drill, as Terminal 1 experienced severe waterlogging. Caught off guard, airport staff were seen scrambling with buckets, mops, and wipers in hand, trying to drain rainwater that had seeped into the terminal building.
The unexpected weather, though a relief from the oppressive heatwave of recent days, brought its own set of challenges. Wind speeds clocked in at 50–70 kmph across Delhi-NCR, and cloudy skies blanketed the region. While the rains cooled the city, they also led to flight disruptions and traffic snarls in and around the capital.
According to officials, at least 12 flights had to be diverted between 3 PM and 4 PM due to the poor weather. National carrier Air India posted a travel advisory on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), alerting passengers about flight changes and possible delays stemming from the stormy conditions in Delhi.
Passengers at Terminal 1 were visibly inconvenienced, tiptoeing across slippery, water-soaked floors as cleaning teams worked non-stop to manage the mess. Social media was abuzz with videos showing the flooded terminal, some even showing airport employees using buckets to scoop out rainwater—an image that starkly contrasted with the usual hustle and bustle of one of India’s busiest airports.
Outside the terminal, the situation wasn’t much better. Areas like Palam and Mahipalpur, which surround the airport, saw heavy waterlogging, leading to traffic congestion as vehicles struggled to navigate through waterlogged streets.
Despite the disruption, the rain did offer a silver lining—temperatures took a noticeable dip. The maximum temperature recorded in the city was 36.2°C, which is 3.8 degrees below the usual for this time of year. However, the minimum temperature stood at 28°C, about 1.5 degrees above normal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had previously forecast the storm, issuing a red alert earlier, followed by a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday. The department has warned of continued unsettled weather, including thunderstorms, lightning, and winds expected to reach 50–60 kmph during the night hours.
While the rains were much-needed and certainly broke the spell of scorching heat, the flooding at Terminal 1 raised serious concerns about infrastructure readiness during monsoon spells. With more rain forecast in the coming days, authorities may need to revisit contingency plans to avoid a repeat of Tuesday’s chaos. For now, passengers are advised to check flight statuses in advance and plan extra travel time—just in case the skies open up again.
