A mother and her three children lost their lives on Friday morning when a tree, uprooted by powerful winds, crashed onto a tubewell room where the family was staying in Kharkhari Canal village, Dwarka, Delhi, police said. The woman’s husband survived with minor injuries. The tragic incident occurred as severe storms lashed the Capital, bringing down trees and triggering widespread waterlogging.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for the national capital, warning of severe thunderstorms and squally winds reaching speeds of 70–80 kmph in the next few hours. An intense cloud mass passed over the city, and the Palam station recorded squalls of up to 74 kmph. Waterlogging was reported in several key areas, including Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram and Dwarka.
The IMD said hailstorms occurred in some parts of Delhi-NCR. Between 5:30 am and 5:50 am, squally winds of up to 78 kmph swept Pragati Maidan. Gusts above 50 kmph were also recorded in IGNOU (52 kmph), Najafgarh (56 kmph), Lodhi Road (59 kmph), and Pitampura (59 kmph).
Flight operations were impacted at Delhi airport. An advisory issued on X (formerly Twitter) by Delhi International Airport said some flights had been delayed or affected due to the adverse weather. Passengers were advised to check directly with their airlines. Both Air India and IndiGo also issued advisories requesting travellers to stay updated on flight statuses.
As the mercury is expected to stay below 40°C for the next few days, IMD forecasts more rain and thunderstorms ahead. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors, avoid travel, and keep windows shut until the weather stabilises.
Alert Severe Weather over Delhi NCR going on be safe @airnewsalerts @ndmaindia @moesgoi @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/Z60OT0OArI
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 2, 2025
Thunderstorm Warning Across Multiple States
The IMD also issued warnings for other parts of India. Severe thunderstorms, gusty winds and heavy rain are likely in parts of north, east and southern India, including north Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, southwest Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, south Gangetic West Bengal, and north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
In Odisha, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts are expected to experience lightning and heavy rainfall with wind speeds between 60–70 kmph. The weather department has warned of damage to thatched huts, standing crops, trees, and possible power disruptions. People are advised to take shelter in permanent structures and stay away from trees and power lines.
Earlier this week, the nor’wester storm (Kalbaisakhi) uprooted several trees at Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence in Bhubaneswar, amid widespread damage across the state.
The IMD continues to monitor the systems closely and has advised farmers in affected areas to suspend field operations due to safety concerns.