At least six people were injured early this morning when a portion of the roof at the Delhi airport's Terminal 1 collapsed onto cars due to heavy rain. The incident, which occurred around 5:30 am, led to the temporary suspension of all departures and the closure of check-in counters at the terminal, which handles only domestic flights.
The roof sheet and support beams fell onto cars parked in the pick-up and drop area at Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. A man was rescued from a car that had an iron beam fall on it.
An official statement from Delhi airport indicated that the canopy at the old Departure forecourt collapsed "due to heavy rain since early this morning." Emergency personnel are providing assistance and medical aid to those affected.
"We sincerely regret this disruption and apologize for any inconvenience caused," the statement added.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, announced he is "personally monitoring" the situation and confirmed that the injured have been hospitalized. "First responders are working at the site. Also advised the airlines to assist all affected passengers at T1," he posted on X.
IndiGo, a major low-cost carrier, reported that its operations were disrupted due to the structural damage. In a statement, IndiGo mentioned flight cancellations as passengers could not enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal could board their flights, while others would be offered alternatives. The airline advised customers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Delhi experienced heavy rainfall for the second consecutive day, bringing relief from the heat but causing waterlogging in several areas. The Safdarjung Observatory recorded 148.5 mm of rainfall between 2:30 am and 5:30 am. On Thursday, the temperature dropped to 35.4 degrees Celsius after the city received 5.2 mm of rainfall.
Visuals shared by news agency ANI on X showed inundated roads and heavy traffic in parts of Delhi.
Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities are working to restore normalcy at the airport as soon as possible.
