The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for Delhi, forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 km/h.
Residents are advised to stay indoors, avoid sheltering under trees, and unplug electronic appliances during the storm. The IMD has also issued an ‘orange’ alert for hailstorms in isolated places of Himachal Pradesh until Sunday. Parts of the state, including Shimla and Jubbarhatti, experienced hailstorms and heavy rain on Friday.
In Delhi, areas such as Jafarpur, Najafgarh, Dwarka, Palam, IGI Airport, Vasant Kunj, Tughlakabad, and Deramandi, along with parts of the National Capital Region like Gurugram and Faridabad, are expected to witness light rain, moderate thunderstorms, and lightning accompanied by gusty winds. The weather office has also forecast thunderstorms and rain for Sunday. On Friday, an intense storm with heavy early-morning rain hit the national capital, causing a house collapse that resulted in the deaths of a woman and her three children. The storm also delayed more than 200 flights and caused widespread waterlogging. According to IMD data, Safdarjung, Delhi’s primary weather station, recorded 77 mm of rain between 2:30 am and 8:30 am, the second-highest in four years. Visuals from different areas showed uprooted trees and people stuck in waterlogged roads.
In response to the storm’s aftermath, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma announced a 21-day special campaign for cleaning civic infrastructure, including roads, drains, and flyovers, and removing beggars staying underneath the flyovers. Following a visit to the New Delhi area, Verma held a meeting with officials and discussed the flood-prevention strategy. “In the next 21 days, all of Delhi must be clean. Roadside debris, open drains, waterlogged areas — everything must be cleared. No dirty spots should remain. We will not let public money go to waste,” Verma said.
In a related development, the Met office has issued a ‘yellow’ warning for thunderstorms, lightning, and winds reaching speeds of 30-50 km/h until May 9 in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kangra, and Chamba districts. Bilaspur, Reckong Peo, Hamirpur, and Tabo witnessed gusty winds during the 24 hours ended at 5 pm. Dehra Gopipur was the wettest place in Himachal Pradesh during the 24 hours ended at 5 pm, recording 37.2 mm of rainfall, followed by Kufri (18.5 mm), Poanta Sahib (17.4 mm), Shimla (16.6 mm), Kandaghat (15 mm), Jubbarhatti (14.8 mm), Dharamshala and Manali (11 mm each), Barrage (10.4 mm), and Solan (10 mm). Several parts of Rajasthan experienced thunderstorms and rain, leading to a significant drop in temperatures, according to the local Met office. Jhunjhunu and its nearby areas witnessed hailstorms, while light rain accompanied by thunderstorms was reported from many parts. According to the Met office, a series of western disturbances was expected to affect the region over the coming week, bringing light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by strong winds and lightning, in many parts of the state. From May 5-7, parts of southwestern Rajasthan are likely to see intense thunderstorm activity and moderate to heavy rainfall. Isolated areas in Barmer, Jalore, and nearby districts may receive heavy rain on May 6-7, the weather office said.
In Punjab and Haryana, maximum temperatures settled a few notches below normal at many places amid hot weather conditions in parts of the two states, according to the Met office in Chandigarh. Patiala in Punjab recorded a high of 35.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. Ludhiana recorded a high of 36.5 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees notches below normal, while the maximum temperature in Amritsar settled at 33.6 degrees, 4.8 notches below normal. In Haryana, Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 35.4 degrees Celsius, 2.6 notches below normal, while Hisar recorded a high of 36 degrees, four notches below normal. Residents are urged to stay updated on weather conditions and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety during these adverse weather events.
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