Flights, traffic disrupted as dust storm sweeps through Delhi and northern India

New Delhi– A dust storm swept across several parts of Delhi on Friday evening, forcing residents to shut windows and stay indoors as strong winds stirred up clouds of dust. The storm led to trees falling in certain localities, disrupting traffic.

Branches and uprooted trees blocked roads in multiple areas, affecting vehicular movement. The impact of the dust storm extended to parts of northern India, where flight operations also experienced delays. Notably, this is the second consecutive day Delhi has faced such weather conditions.

IMD issues alerts for Himachal Pradesh; thunderstorms and hail reported

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and hailstorms in four districts of Himachal Pradesh. Four other districts remain under a Yellow Alert for moderate weather events.

In the past 24 hours, the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Shimla, and Hamirpur experienced thunderstorms and lightning, along with light to moderate rainfall. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in Gohar, Mandi district, at 19 mm, followed by Pandokhar in the same district with 14 mm. Other areas received light showers.

Hailstorm activity was observed in Banjar (Kullu), Sundernagar (Mandi), and parts of the Shimla district.

Relief from heatwave; temperatures fall across the region

The rainfall brought some respite from the heatwave that gripped areas like Sundernagar, Bhuntar, and Dharamshala in recent days. As of Friday, thunderstorm and lightning activity was reported in Chamba, Kangra, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, and Shimla districts. Light morning rain was recorded in several parts of the region.

The weather shift has resulted in a 3 to 5 degrees Celsius drop in temperatures compared to the previous day, aligning more closely with seasonal norms.

Severe weather likely to continue, IMD advises precautions

According to IMD officials, the stormy weather is expected to persist through the day. There remains a high likelihood of hailstorms in Kullu, Mandi, Kangra, and Chamba districts, with thunderstorms and lightning also probable in these areas.

"Thunderstorms, lightning, and hailstorms are likely in parts of Himachal Pradesh. An Orange Alert has been issued for districts with more intense activity, while Yellow Alerts are in place for areas expecting moderate weather events. People are advised to stay indoors during severe weather," IMD scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma said.

With PTI inputs