New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Fierce dust storms and rain swept across Delhi and the National Capital Region on Wednesday evening, disrupting normal life and prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue an orange alert for the city.
This was the second such weather event in four days, bringing relief from rising temperatures. The weather department shared the alert with all State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs). A yellow alert remains in place for the next two days, forecasting further thunderstorms and rain.
The change in weather led to power cuts in several areas of the capital, as high-velocity winds impacted electric grids.
At the Indira Gandhi International Airport, at least 16 flights were diverted to other cities due to bad weather conditions, according to an official. The airport handles more than 1,300 flight movements daily.
Residents were advised to stay indoors and avoid standing near windows, electrical poles and power lines. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also cautioned against leaving loose objects unsecured.
According to the IMD, precipitation was widespread across the region. The CRPF Campus recorded the highest rainfall at 11.5 mm, followed by Janakpuri at 10.5 mm. Narayana and Pusa recorded 8.0 mm of rainfall each, while Pragati Maidan received 5.5 mm. Other areas, including Lodhi Road and Ayanagar, saw between 4.0 mm and 4.5 mm, with Pitampura recording 2.5 mm.
Wind speeds reached peak levels at Pragati Maidan with a gust of 68 kmph. Pusa recorded speeds of 65 kmph, while Palam clocked 52 kmph. Other areas, including Lodi Road, IGNOU and Pitampura each, recorded speeds ranging between 43 kmph and 48 kmph.
Between 6.45 pm and 7.30 pm, the city saw a sharp decline in mercury levels. Palam and Safdarjung recorded the sharpest drop, falling 10 degrees from 29 degrees Celsius to 19 degrees Celsius. Lodhi Road saw a decline of 8.5 degrees, while other stations recorded drops between 5 and 10 degrees.
Meteorological experts attributed the activity to a western disturbance that induced a cyclonic circulation over South Haryana.
“The system is expected to intensify over central Pakistan and adjoining parts of Punjab and Haryana from Thursday, leading to further rainfall over the next two days,” Mahesh Palawat, a weather expert, told PTI.
He added that pre-monsoon showers, thunderstorms and isolated hailstorms are likely. While temperatures are expected to hover in the mid-to-high 20s during this period, they will likely rise once the disturbance subsides.
“Current models suggest that weather conditions on March 20 are likely to be more intense,” he said.
Before Wednesday’s storm, the city had recorded 1.2 mm of pre-monsoon rain this season. Many areas of Delhi witnessed rain on Sunday, with Safdarjung recording 0.4 mm and Ayanagar 0.8 mm of rain.
Despite the rain, the city’s air quality deteriorated on Wednesday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 232, falling into the “poor” category from the “moderate” level recorded a day earlier.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor” and 401 to 500 “severe”. PTI SGV AKY
Category: Breaking News
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