By : Shrishti Mehra
The storm delivered severe gusts that uprooted trees, knocked down power lines, and collapsed walls throughout the city.
On Friday, a dust storm slammed Delhi, combined with thunderstorms and rain, killing at least two people and wounding 23 more.
The storm delivered powerful winds that uprooted trees, knocked down electricity poles, and collapsed structures throughout the city. Power outages occurred in many regions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rain in Delhi this weekend. According to the IMD forecast, the maximum temperature will drop and stabilize around 37°C by Sunday, while the minimum will fluctuate between 28°C and 29°C.
According to PTI, officials received 152 calls, with 130 sent to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). The calls were about falling trees, poles, and billboards. In addition, 55 reports were received reporting collapsing buildings and structures.
Officials said they got over 200 calls about power outages.
At least nine planes were cancelled at Delhi International Airport on Friday night owing to inclement weather.
According to the Met Department, certain parts of Delhi experienced winds of up to 77 kilometers per hour during the storm on Friday.
The Meteorological Department initially issued a “yellow alert” for dust storms and rain over the weekend, but then upgraded it to a “orange alert,” denoting severe weather conditions.
The storm began about 9 p.m., with wind speeds hitting 77 km/h over Ujwa around 10 p.m., 63 km/h at Pragati Maidan, and 61 km/h near Lodhi Road.
“Stay indoors, close windows and doors, and prevent travel wherever feasible. Take secure shelter; do not seek refuge under trees,” the IMD stated in a statement on Friday.
IMD scientist Krishna Mishra told HT that the dust storm was caused by a combination of lower tropospheric easterlies and mid-tropospheric south-westerlies.
“Over the course of the weekend, we could have mostly cloudy sky with a chance of very light showers and thunderstorms… Mishra stated, “Western disturbances and some low-level easterlies coming in from the Bay of Bengal are to blame for the rainfall.” He also mentioned that until May 14, Delhi is likely to see partly overcast sky.