Delhi Dusted

This sudden change in weather also surprised weather scientists who could predict it only a few hours before it descended on the city. ‘We issued a warning advisory at 1.00 pm for strong dust-storm and thunderstorm and light rain,’ said a senior weather officer at Delhi’s Regional Meteorological Centre. The weather department’s advisory issued for Friday had no mention of the strong storm. According to officers at IGI Airport, at least three aircraft were damaged and 18 domestic and one international flight were diverted to nearby airports. The services of Delhi metro were also disrupted for at least one hour, MCDs received around 30 complaints of trees falling on roads and blocking traffic, and around half a dozen high-tension electricity towers getting damaged. Several trees crashed down, crushing cars parked under them. After about one-and-a-half hour of the storm, which left the city in complete disarray, the sky turned clear and the sun shone bright.

The storm struck during rush hour as office goers were on  their way back from offices. According to a traffic police official, the city came to a standstill as uprooted trees either blocked the road or created bottlenecks. From Hari Nagar to Lajwanti Chowk, from Saket Court towards BRT, on Mathura Road near Sunder Nagar Red Light, at Hari Nagar Ghanta Ghar, Preet Vihar, Madhuban Chowk, near Nala Road, on Vikas Marg, near Oberai flyover in the carriageway going towards Zakir Hussain Marg, in front of Regal Cinema, Club Road, between Raja Park and Rani Bagh, long lines of cars and buses remained stranded for hours. Metro services resumed after 6 pm but stations remained overcrowded for hours. At some locations like Janakpuri and Inderlok tin sheets and pipes got entangled with electricity lines of Delhi Metro due to the storm. Passengers remained stranded at various metro stations and were even asked to de-board the train at various locations until power supply was resumed.

The mercury fell by at least five degrees after the storm hit the city, MET department said. The maximum and minimum temperature were recorded at 42.8 degree Celsius and 29.1 degree Celsius which were two points above normal. The MET has predicted maximum and minimum temperatures would hover around 42 and 30 degree Celsius, there would be partly cloudy sky, dust storm and thunderstorm with light rain on Saturday. The average rain in Delhi was 0.2 mm but Narela received 17 mm and Noida 14 mm of rain. The NCR towns Noida and Ghaziabad received higher rainfall than Delhi. 

Power outages were also reported in many areas as electricity supply lines snapped. According to officers of the power department half a dozen tall towers of high tension lines were damaged causing disruption of power supply on those areas forcing the department to follow alternative routes of power transmission.