IMD issues red alert as rain lashes parts of Delhi; airlines issue travel advisories

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for several areas of Delhi and an orange alert for others, cautioning residents about continued rainfall and possible disruptions as parts of the national capital received light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday (January 27) morning.

Rainfall in Delhi

The IMD has advised commuters and residents to remain cautious during this period.

The rainfall is expected to provide some relief from the worsening air quality in the national capital, which slipped back into the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday morning. The CPCB’s Sameer app recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 310.

This follows a brief improvement in air quality after nearly a day-long spell of rain earlier this week.

IMD issues red alert

According to the IMD, North Delhi, North West Delhi, Central Delhi, North East Delhi, West Delhi and South West Delhi have been placed under a red alert.

The weather department has forecast moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and hail, with wind speeds likely to reach 40–60 kmph in the next hour. Residents have been urged to stay alert.

Meanwhile, South East Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, Shahdara and East Delhi are under an orange alert for moderate rain and thunderstorms, as per the IMD’s latest nowcast warning.

Travel advisories

Light to moderate rainfall was also recorded in parts of the Delhi-NCR region on Tuesday. The weather department has forecast “partly cloudy skies with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers” during the day in areas such as Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad.

Leading airlines, including Akasa Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet, have issued travel advisories, asking passengers to take necessary precautions before heading to the Delhi airport.

The airlines also warned that flight operations may be affected due to unsettled weather conditions across the Delhi-NCR region.