A huge dust storm swept several parts of Rajasthan on Saturday, with wind speeds reaching 80 kilometers per hour in some places.
Several areas witnessed thunderstorms after rain, which eased the impact of the heat wave that the state witnessed during the past two weeks.
Scenes from the state when storms swept several towns showed clouds of dust and sand plunging the areas into darkness and reducing visibility to zero.
The storm was triggered by a western disturbance and occurred in Churu, Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Nagaur, Didwana-Kochaman, Alwar and Sikar districts, news agency PTI reported. The capital, Jaipur, also witnessed strong winds followed by thunderstorms and rain.
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Thunderstorms and rain are expected to continue in the state over the next few days, according to the IMD. Several parts of Rajasthan witnessed thunderstorms and rain in the last 24 hours, with Bari in Dholpur district receiving the highest rainfall of 58 mm.
“The sky got dark, almost like nightfall.”
A resident of the Chorro area recounted the moments when the dust storm swept through their area, saying that it was the first time they had witnessed “such a severe storm.” “We never imagined that such a huge dust storm would sweep through the city,” one resident said, adding that the storm plunged the area into darkness during the afternoon.
“The sky turned dark around 2pm, almost like nightfall. People are moving with their car headlights on, and normal life has been disrupted as we are facing many difficulties,” a resident told PTI Videos.
While motorists had to turn on their headlights, trees were uprooted and electricity supplies were cut off due to strong winds in some areas. The dust storm continued in Jaipur for about 10 minutes in the evening before rain fell.
Read also | Rain after storm drops mercury in Chandigarh city
Wind speeds reach 80 km per hour in some areas; Rainfall in Udaipur and other areas
The dust storm was extremely severe, with wind speeds reaching 70-80 kilometers per hour across northwest Rajasthan. The dust storm ravaged Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur, Nagaur and adjoining areas, according to PTI.
Dust storms were also reported in areas like Fatehpur and Laxmangarh in Sikar district. Meanwhile, in relief from the scorching heat, rainfall was recorded in Udaipur, Churu (14.8 mm), Pilani (10.4 mm) and Sangaria in Hanumangarh (3.5 mm), PTI reported, citing officials.
This comes despite Delhi being placed under red alert due to “severe” thunderstorms as well as dust storms, according to the India Meteorological Department.
