Delhi storm chaos: Power cuts, metro disruptions, and at least 2 dead

Trees snapped, electric poles toppled, and debris rained down on roads and railway tracks as a sudden and violent storm hit Delhi-NCR on Wednesday evening

On Wednesday evening, Delhi went from extreme heat to a sudden and violent thunderstorm that brought the national capital to a halt. The intense weather system, marked by strong winds, hail, and heavy rain, caused significant damage: power outages in multiple areas, suspended metro services, uprooted trees, damaged vehicles, and the loss of at least two lives. 

 

What triggered the Delhi storm?

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued yellow/orange alerts for gusty winds of 40–60 km/h, with peak speeds reaching up to 70 km/h.

 

The storm was driven by a cyclonic circulation over Haryana and a trough extending from Punjab to Bangladesh. At Palam, winds peaked at 40 knots (around 72 km/h).

 

 

Earlier in the day, Delhi sweltered under intense heat. The maximum temperature hit 40.7 degrees Celsius, but high humidity levels pushed the feels-like temperature to 50.2 degrees, causing widespread discomfort. 

VIDEO | Electric pole crashed down on Lodhi road as rain, thunderstorm wreak havoc in Delhi-NCR pic.twitter.com/f6d9Fz9U6K

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 21, 2025

 

Power outages across the capital

As trees and branches fell onto power lines, several areas reported electricity outages. Discoms BSES (BRPL and BYPL) and Tata Power-DDL suspended power in select areas to prevent electrocution.

 

Affected areas included:

• Bawana
• Narela
• Jahangirpuri
• Civil Lines
• Shakti Nagar
• Model Town
• Wazirabad
• Dhirpur

Quick Response Teams were deployed, and supply was restored in most places by late evening. However, damaged poles and overhead lines caused delays in full restoration.  ALSO READ | Storm disrupts Delhi flights; Srinagar flight declares emergency mid-air

 

Delhi Metro services hit on three lines

The Red, Yellow, and Pink Lines of the Delhi Metro were among the worst affected. Falling branches and debris damaged overhead equipment, leading to suspended or delayed services.

 

Problem spots included:

• Shaheed Nagar (Red Line)
• Jahangirpuri (Yellow Line)
• Near Nizamuddin (Pink Line)

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) dispatched emergency crews to clear debris and restore services. Trains ran at reduced speed, causing overcrowding on platforms and long delays. 

VIDEO | Greater Noida metro services suspended as strong winds and storm swept through parts of Delhi-NCR  (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/1NLDAoDjQa

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 21, 2025

 

2 dead, 11 injured in Delhi storm-linked incidents

The storm claimed two lives:

 

Lodhi Road: A high-mast electric pole collapsed on a disabled man. He was declared dead on arrival at Safdarjung Hospital.

 

Gokulpuri: A 22-year-old man, Azhar, died after a tree fell on him and two motorcycles. He later succumbed to injuries at GTB Hospital.

 

Injuries were reported from multiple locations:

 

Mukherjee Nagar: Collapse of an old footbridge grill injured 5–6 people

 

Kashmere Gate: A 55-year-old man was hurt in a balcony collapse

 

Mangolpuri: Four injured as another balcony fell, damaging two-wheelers

Traffic jams and widespread tree falls

The storm paralysed major Delhi corridors, including Delhi–Noida, Delhi–Gurugram, and Delhi–Ghaziabad routes. Uprooted trees, snapped cables, and waterlogging blocked key roads.

 

One viral video showed a tree falling on a parked car on Mathura Road. Commuters caught in traffic reported low visibility, flying debris, and flash waterlogging, causing panic and confusion. 

VIDEO | Tree falls on car as deadly storm hits Delhi-NCR. Visuals from Mathura road.#delhirain  (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/7iAP5GG1vU

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 21, 2025

 

(With agency inputs)