15 Delhi-bound flights diverted due to rain, thunderstorm

At least 15 Delhi-bound flights were diverted as the national capital witnessed a sudden change in the weather on Tuesday evening, with heavy rain and thunderstorms lashing parts of the city. According to a source from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, nine flights were diverted to Jaipur; two each to Amritsar and Lucknow; and one each to Mumbai and Chandigarh.

In its latest update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Delhi witnessed a brief spell of heavy rain and strong winds, which led to a dip in the maximum temperature. It settled at 36.8 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal.

In two separate posts on X, Vistara airlines said two of its flights to the national capital from Pune and Ranchi were diverted "due to bad weather at Delhi airport".

"Flight UK754 from Ranchi to Delhi (IXR-DEL) has been diverted to Jaipur (JAI) due to bad weather at Delhi airport and is expected to arrive in Jaipur (JAI) at 1840 hours," one post read.

"Flight UK998 from Pune to Delhi (PNQ-DEL) has been diverted to Amritsar (ATQ) due to bad weather at Delhi airport and is expected to arrive in Amritsar (ATQ) at 1930 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates."

In an advisory on Tuesday night, IndiGo urged passengers travelling to Delhi to "check their flight timings before heading to the airport" as a result of the "unfavourable weather conditions".

On Sunday, the IMD had predicted light rain in Delhi, with the maximum temperature expected to remain at 38 degrees for at least the next three days.

IMD scientist Naresh Kumar told the ANI news agency that the temperature in the national capital is likely to increase by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius after the three-day period.

In its latest bulletin, the weather office said the maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi on Wednesday would hover around 37 and 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The latest flight diversions came more than two weeks after 22 flights heading towards Delhi were diverted on April 13 after a sudden spell of rain lashed parts of the national capital.