Delhi: As many as 17 flights headed towards the national capital were diverted on Saturday after Delhi witnessed widespread rains in the later part of the day. Among the diverted flights, seven were that of IndiGo aircraft, three Vistara, six Air India and one Air India Express.
Of them, 9 flights were diverted to Jaipur, 8 to Lucknow, 2 to Chandigarh, and 1 each to Varansi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad. The flights were diverted between 1500 hours and 1830 hours, the official added.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned that thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain would occur in Delhi and its neighbouring cities.
The weather body has also issued an advisory for Delhiites. These include Staying indoors, closing windows and doors and avoiding travel if possible. It advises people to take safe shelter and to take shelter under trees. "Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls. Unplug electrical/electronic appliances", it said.
"Immediately get out of water bodies. Keep away from all the objects that conduct electricity", it added.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a statement earlier in the day stating that "gusty winds with speed of 30-50 Km/h would occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi and NCR ( Loni Dehat, Hindon AF Station, Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula, Noida, Dadri, Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar, Ballabhgarh) Gohana, Hansi, Meham, Sonipat, Tosham, Rohtak, Kharkhoda, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Kosali, Mahendargarh, Sohana, Rewari, Bawal (Haryana) Baraut, Bagpat, Khekra, Modinagar, Pilakhua, Sikandrabad (U.P.) Bhiwari (Rajasthan) during the next two hours."
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