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Severe dust storms hit Delhi, leaving 2 dead and 5 injured, India

ByRishav Kothari

At least two people died while five others were injured in Delhi on Friday, April 11, 2025, as severe dust storms hit the region, downing trees and power lines, reducing visibility, creating dangerous travel conditions on roads, and disrupting hundreds of flights.

Bike crushed by a collapsed tree in Delhi after dust storms on April 11, 2025

Bike crushed by a collapsed tree in Delhi after dust storms on April 11, 2025. Image credit: All India Radio News

At least two people died in Delhi on Friday, April 11, while 5 were injured as dust storms swept through the region. The dust storms, coupled with short-lived heavy rains, caused significant damage across Delhi, including the National Capital Region (NCR).

A 67-year-old man died in Delhi’s Chander Vihar after a building collapsed at around 18:30 local time (LT), while three were injured as debris rained down on pedestrians underneath. Police said the sixth floor of the building was being constructed when it caved in.

In southwest Delhi’s Hari Vihar, a 10-year-old girl died after an under-construction home collapsed at around 18:52 LT on Friday. A passerby, who called the police, said the bricks fell from the top of a partially built structure onto a neighbor’s house, fatally injuring the girl. A 20-year-old woman was injured in the same incident and was taken to a hospital; she is reported to be out of danger.

In central Delhi’s Karol Bagh, a 13-year-old boy was also injured in yet another collapse due to the storm.

Delhi had experienced a dip in temperatures as dust storms continued for two days straight into Friday. Although this brought some relief from the ongoing heat wave, the reduced visibility created hazardous travel conditions across Delhi.

The storm also affected nearby areas like Gurugram where an uniboard collapsed on the Dwarka Expressway, crushing a vehicle and severely injuring the man inside. The injured man was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Gurugram, and was reported out of danger.

The incident led to a traffic jam that stretched over 4 km (2.5 miles) on the expressway, forcing Delhi and Gurugram police to work together to clear the route and divert traffic. “The uniboard was later removed with the help of cranes. Traffic was diverted at key points to ease congestion,” said traffic inspector Sandeep Kumar.

The storm also caused significant disruptions in air travel, with at least 205 flights delayed and at least 50 flights diverted from their scheduled destination.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport. Some passengers reported being stranded at the airport for over 14-hours, as they took to social media to voice out their complaints about the delays and mismanagement by authorities.

Dozens of trees and power lines collapsed, causing power outages throughout the city as winds reached 80 km/h (50 mph) in some areas. Multiple buildings have also sustained damage due to wall collapses and other incidents.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speeds reached 84 km/h (52 mph) in Ujwa, 74 km/h (46 mph) at Palam, and 70 km/h (44 mph) at Pragati Maidan. The sudden storm caused a temperature drop of up to 10°C (18°F) in Palam and 7°C (13°F) in Safdarjung within one hour, an official stated.

The police report that they received at least 82 calls about uprooted trees from across Delhi by 21:00 LT on Friday. The New Delhi Municipal Council also received multiple calls regarding downed trees and power lines across the city.

In Gurugram, officials said trees and electricity poles were uprooted at over 47 locations, leading to large-scale power outages and traffic bottlenecks.

While the severe weather event has mostly subsided, the Indian Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for light rain and thunderstorms on Saturday, April 12. This could be accompanied by gusts of 30 to 50 km/h (19 to 31 mph), along with the possibility of lightning and hail across the area.

References:

1 Chaos After Delhi Dust Storm: 205 Flights Delayed, Departures An Hour Late – NDTV – April 12, 2025

2 Killer dust storm batters Delhi-NCR; 2 dead – Hindustan Times – April 12, 2025

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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