Gusty winds, rain bring weather shift in Capital

NEW DELHI: Gusty winds swept through the national capital as parts of Delhi experienced light rain on Tuesday, providing some relief to the residents. In the evening, there was a sudden shift in weather conditions, with the maximum temperature settling a notch below normal at 36.8

degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD bulletin noted that the strong winds could potentially pose a threat to plantations, horticulture areas, and standing crops. They further cautioned that vulnerable structures and kutcha dwellings may suffer partial to minor damage. “Residents are urged to remain indoors, secure windows and doors and refrain from unnecessary travel. Seeking safe shelter and avoiding tree cover are recommended to mitigate risks. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops,” the IMD said in its advisory issued before the rainfall began.

The weather office issued a warning of an impending dust storm, stating, “A dust storm followed by a thunderstorm with rain and gusty winds, with speeds ranging from 40 to 70 kilometres per hour, is expected to occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi and NCR within the next two hours.” During the day, the relative humidity oscillated between 28 per cent and 66 per cent. The weather forecast for Wednesday suggests partly cloudy skies with strong winds during the day. The predicted maximum and minimum temperatures are going to settle around 37 and 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Additionally, at the Delhi airport, some flights were diverted and others delayed on Tuesday evening given the bad weather conditions in the national capital.

Vistara said two of its flights from Pune and Ranchi that were to land at the airport were diverted. In a post on X, IndiGo said that due to unfavourable weather conditions in the national capital, customers are requested to check their flight timings before heading to the airport.

“Flight UK998 from Pune to Delhi (PNQ-DEL) has been diverted to Amritsar (ATQ) due to bad weather at Delhi airport...,” Vistara said in a post on X. In another post, the airline said flight UK754 from Ranchi to Delhi has been diverted to Jaipur due to bad weather.

It was also reported on Tuesday that a wall collapsed in Khirki Extension following the sudden rainfall and storm in the capital. The incident prompted a PCR call, leading authorities to the scene.

Upon arrival, it was discovered that a wall on the top floor of a house had collapsed, resulting in minor injuries to residents of a neighbouring house. The victims, numbering six with two sustaining major injuries, were on their roof when the collapse transpired.

The sudden onset of rainfall and storm likely contributed to the structural failure, highlighting the vulnerability of buildings during adverse weather conditions. All the injured

persons are reported to be in stable condition and are undergoing treatment at nearby medical facilities.