A woman and three children died in New Delhi’s Najafgarh area after a house collapsed amid heavy rainfall in the national capital on Friday, PTI reported.

“We received a call regarding a house collapse in Kharkari Nahar village in Najafgarh at 5.25 am,” the news agency quoted an unidentified Delhi Fire Services official as saying. “We deployed multiple teams on the spot and four people were rescued from the rubble.”

The official said that all four were taken to a hospital where they were declared dead, after which the fire services department informed the police about the matter.

Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department issued a severe alert asking residents in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region to stay indoors and avoid travel in the wake of heavy rainfall, along with thunderstorms and strong winds.

The weather agency said that damage to trees, power lines and vulnerable structures was expected.

“People are advised to keep a watch on the weather for worsening conditions and be ready to move to safer places accordingly,” the weather agency said. “Stay indoors, close windows and doors, and avoid travel if possible”.

Over 200 flights were delayed or cancelled in the national capital due to the weather.

“Due to inclement weather conditions and thunderstorms in Delhi, some flights have been impacted at Delhi Airport,” Delhi International Airport Limited, which operates Indira Gandhi International Airport, said in a statement on X. “Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

Later in the day, the authority said that the airport was fully operational. However, some flights might be impacted due to the weather conditions, it added.

“Following the advisory about inclement weather and road blockages near the airport, passengers may want to use alternative transport options, including the Delhi Metro, to avoid delays,” Delhi International Airport Limited said.

Waterlogging was also reported in several parts of the city. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that she had inspected the “situation of waterlogging in various areas of Delhi including Majnu ka Tila due to rain”.

The BJP leader said: “I am personally present on the ground with the concerned officials to resolve this problem. Clear instructions were given to all officers to identify places where waterlogging is occurring across Delhi and ensure solution.”

In its forecast for the next two weeks released on Thursday, the weather agency said that “isolated to scattered rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and strong winds speed reaching 40-60 Kmph likely over Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh & Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan” between May 1 and May 6.