Dust storm, rain lash Delhi; 9 flights diverted due to bad weather

New Delhi: On Friday, the national capital was hit by a dust storm, strong winds, and rain. As a result of the severe weather, nine flights were redirected from Delhi airport to other destinations including Jaipur, according to officials.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an advisory in response to the dust storm, advising residents to stay indoors, secure their windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel. The IMD also advised people to seek safe shelters and not to take cover under trees.

A traffic alert was issued by the Delhi Traffic Police for Dharam Marg and Janakpuri after a large tree fell and blocked a road at B2 Janakpuri. Commuters were advised to avoid this stretch, as reported in a post on X.

There were numerous reports of fallen trees in various parts of the city due to the strong winds.

The weather department had previously forecasted generally cloudy skies for Friday, with the potential for dust storms and thunderstorms. Light rain accompanied by hailstorms was also predicted at isolated places. Squally winds with speeds of 60-70 kmph were expected for Friday night.

Kuldeep Srivastava, a scientist and head of the Regional Meteorological Centre, had earlier stated that due to a new active western disturbance, the capital would experience a drizzle late Friday night.

The maximum temperature on Friday was recorded at 39 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity fluctuated between 47 and 64 per cent during the day, according to the IMD.

The temperatures for Saturday are expected to range between a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 39 degrees Celsius. Srivastava also mentioned a high probability of rain over the weekend.