A sudden downpour accompanied by a strong storm caused chaos at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Sunday (March 31), directing authorities to temporarily suspend air operations. According to a senior official, due to the havoc caused by the fierce storm six flights were also redirected to alternate destinations.
The storm’s intensity was such that it uprooted a large tree outside the Oil India complex adjacent to the Adani Group-controlled airport, blocking a crucial road.
Prompt response by airport personnel
Utpal Baruah, Chief Airport Officer (CAO), informed that airport personnel promptly cleared the obstruction to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply to the terminal, despite facing challenges posed by adverse weather conditions.
“We immediately rushed there and cleared the road for smooth supply of fuel to the terminal. It took us over half-an-hour,” Baruah said.
Portion of roof sealing collapses
The impact of the storm also caused a section of the airport’s roof in the forecourt area to collapse, resulting in rainwater seeping inside. Baruah reassured that there were no injuries and the situation was swiftly brought under control.
“It was very old and could not withstand the impact. Due to this, the ceiling broke open and water started flowing inside. However, there was no injury and everything is under control,” he said.
A video purportedly capturing the roof collapse and water inundation has circulated widely on social media platforms. Additionally, Baruah mentioned that water ingress from the ceiling affected the terminal interior.
Six flights diverted
The CAO stated that he is personally monitoring the situation to ensure air passengers do not face any inconvenience. “Due to the storm and heavy rain, the visibility dropped drastically and we had to divert six flights,” the CAO said.
The flights operated by IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express have been diverted to Agartala and Kolkata, he said. He further added that visibility conditions have since improved, allowing operations to resume.