At least four people died and over 100 flights faced severe disruption as an early morning thunderstorm battered New Delhi on Friday.
Delhi experienced intense thunder and lightning storm early morning on Friday (May 2), leading to widespread disruptions and damage as four members of a family — a woman and her three children — died after their house collapsed during a thunderstorm in the metro’s Najafgarh area.
The collapse occurred at around 5:25am in Kharkhari Nahar village, following heavy overnight rain and strong winds that swept across the Indian capital, reports agencies.
A call reporting the incident was received by New Delhi Fire Services, who rushed to the site along with police teams.
Rescuers pulled the victims from under the rubble and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where all four were declared dead. However, the woman’s husband, who was also inside the house, survived with injuries.
Members of the Delhi Police Force have stated that the collapse was triggered when a large tree, uprooted by the storm, fell onto the small residential structure near a tubewell, bringing it down.
The bodies have been sent for postmortem examination as investigations continue.
Civil aviation sources say, flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were disrupted by the thunder-storm, with more than 100 flights delayed and at least three diverted.