June , they usually do not reach the capital city of New Delhi and other regions in northern India until early July . Watch how Indians cope with monsoon waters '' They came about two weeks early in the northern part of the country this year , killing at least 20 people in landslides , home collapses and floods . The airport sits on more than 2,000 acres that , over the years , have become home to jackals , porcupines , dogs , cats and a variety of birds . Arora would not say how many flights were delayed during the rescue operation . The airport handles 13,000 domestic and 9,500 international passengers a day . '' -LRB- The -RRB- numbers are speculative as it is difficult to attribute delays to bad weather , strong winds , birds or animals , '' Arora said . In the past , animals on the runway have disrupted flights at the airport -- particularly during the monsoon season , Satyanarayan said . `` The monitor lizards -- they look frightening but they are harmless animals , '' he said . `` But they can grow about three to four feet long .
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dozens of flights were delayed at India 's New Delhi airport Monday after lizards , birds and jackals strayed on to a runway to seek refuge from the monsoon rains . Kids play cricket through a downpour in New Delhi as monsoon rains came early to the area this week . Animal rescuers rounded up the critters and moved them to habitats outside airport property . But the operation delayed several flights and shut down the runway for some time , airport spokesman Arun Arora said . Kartick Satyanarayan of the conservation group Wildlife SOS said the animals descended on the runway in search of dry ground . His group works with the airport to move wildlife from airport property to a sanctuary on the outskirts of the capital . `` It 's been raining cats and dogs the last two days . And when it rains like this , water goes in and fills the burrows of these animals , '' he said . `` The runway , '' he added , `` is the only safe area . So they come out . '' While monsoon rains typically sweep across the subcontinent in early