Killer dust storm batters Delhi-NCR; 2 dead

A sudden and violent storm swept across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday evening, leaving behind a trail of destruction that claimed two lives, injured at least five people, and crippled infrastructure across the region.

Dust storms, intense winds reaching up to 84 km/hr, and short but fierce rain showers knocked down dozens of trees, power poles, and even buildings and walls, bringing life to a standstill across NCR.

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The most tragic incident occurred in southwest Delhi’s Hari Vihar, where a 10-year-old girl named Amini died after the parapet of an under-construction house collapsed during the storm. A 20-year-old woman was also injured in the same incident. Police said the wall collapse was reported around 6:52pm. A passerby, Manish, who called the police, said the bricks fell from the top of a partially built structure onto a neighbour’s house, fatally injuring Amini. The woman, still unidentified, was rushed to a hospital and is now out of danger.

Just minutes earlier, in east Delhi’s Chander Vihar, a 67-year-old man named Chander Pal lost his life in another collapse. Around 6.30pm, a building under construction gave way as strong winds battered the area. Debris rained down on unsuspecting pedestrians—three people were injured, including two minors, 17-year-old Ashu Malik and 13-year-old Rajbeer Meena. Police said the sixth floor of the building was being constructed when it caved in.

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

Meanwhile, in Gurugram, a horrifying accident unfolded on the Dwarka Expressway when a massive uniboard collapsed on a Kia Sonet, crushing the vehicle completely and grievously injuring the man inside.

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The board, installed across both lanes for traffic directions, was blown down by the gale-force winds just as the car was entering Gurugram from Delhi. The injured man was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Gurugram, and his condition was later reported as stable.

The incident led to a traffic jam that stretched over 4km 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 played havoc with air travel too. Between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were suspended due to safety concerns. At least 35 flights were diverted, and more than 100 faced delays. “Flights could not land briefly or take-off. Operations gradually returned to normal after an hour,” an airport official said. The Delhi airport issued an advisory at 7:15pm urging passengers to contact their airlines for updates.

The skies had turned ominous around 5pm, and by 5:30pm, a wall of dust engulfed the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) later said that a western disturbance over northwest India, combined with the day’s high temperatures and moisture, triggered the development of thunderclouds that swept through the region. Wind speeds reached 84 km/hr in Ujwa, 74 km/hr at Palam, and 70 km/hr at Pragati Maidan, the IMD said. “The sudden storm caused a dramatic drop in temperatures—up to 10°C in Palam and 7°C in Safdarjung within an hour,” an official said.

Across Delhi, the storm brought down scores of trees and poles. Police said they received at least 82 calls about uprooted trees by 9pm. The impact was particularly fiercely felt on major roads like Mathura Road near Okhla More, where a fallen tree disrupted traffic towards Badarpur, and on Pankha Road, where commuters were stranded due to another uprooted tree. In some areas, branches fell on parked cars, causing damage, including near Mandi House.

The New Delhi Municipal Council received calls about fallen trees from locations like Hanuman Road, Jor Bagh, Mother Teresa Crescent, Race Course, and Sardar Patel Marg. The MCD also reported trees down in Shahdara, Kalkaji, Mangolpuri, and Sultanpuri.

In Gurugram, officials said trees and electricity poles were uprooted at over 47 locations, leading to large-scale power outages and traffic bottlenecks. In Noida and Greater Noida, traffic slowed to a crawl in several areas though no major injuries were reported. Residents across the NCR took to social media to share eerie visuals of the dust storm sweeping over city skylines.

Power infrastructure bore the brunt of the storm. Both BSES and Tata Power DDL reported disruptions, especially in areas like Narela, Bawana, Badli, Mangolpuri, and Shahdara. A BSES spokesperson said quick response teams were dispatched immediately, but restoration in some areas took longer due to safety concerns. Tata Power DDL said tree branches and other debris falling on lines caused localized faults. In Gurugram, officials from Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited deployed emergency teams across affected sectors to restore supply. “It may take some time, especially in outer areas where tree uprooting was widespread,” said superintendent engineer Shyambir Saini.

The Delhi government activated quick response teams to clear roads and handle tree falls. These teams will remain on standby through the upcoming monsoon season.

IMD has now issued a yellow alert for Saturday, forecasting winds of 20-30 km/hr and light rain in parts of Delhi-NCR. The maximum temperature is expected to hover between 34°C and 36°C.