9 killed as storm hits Delhi, NCR
NCR areas of east Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad were most affected by the storm
New Delhi: At least nine people were killed in the NCR region, including six in Delhi, as a massive thunderstorm lashed the region on Friday crippling road traffic, Metro services and flight operations and hitting power supply.
Delhi Police said six people died and 13 were injured in various areas of the city in accidents like felling of trees, collapse of walls and electrocution following the storm which was accompanied by winds at a speed of over 90 kmph.
The storm struck Delhi at 4.58 pm. Thousands of people were stranded outside Metro stations and on roads as traffic almost came to a halt due the storm which darkened the sky.
Met department termed the storm as “cumulonimbus” and attributed it to western disturbance over Pakistan. NCR areas of east Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad were most affected by the storm. Met office said similar weather conditions are likely to persist for over the next two days. At least five aircraft were damaged and 24 flights were diverted due to the storm, an IGI official said.