Storm may affect Delhi, UP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana today: 10 highlights

Narendra Modi approved an ex-gratia of Rs 200,000 each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to dust storm on May 2

After some inactivity on Thursday and Friday, another set of thunderstorms is likely to hit India's northwestern plains on Saturday, the Met department said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), regions including northern Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Uttarakhand will be affected.

Thunderstorms, along with squall, are very likely at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura as well, added the IMD.

Isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Odisha, northwest Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior Tamil Nadu and Kerala are very likely to experience thunderstorm along with gusty winds.

Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while dust storm and thunderstorm very likely at isolated places over Rajasthan.

The home ministry has also issued an advisory for Saturday saying thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

"We are expecting a western disturbance to approach the hill region on May 5. This will have an effect on north-western plains,” IMD senior scientist M Mahapatra said, according to IANS.

"The intensity of the thunderstorm could only be predicted two hours prior to the activity," Mahapatra added.

However, according to the weather analysts, a trough over north Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will lead to thunderstorm activity, but it will not be severe and will be around Tuesday, May 8.

"May 5 may bring light rains in the region," according to Skymet. 

"Rajasthan, MP, western UP, northern Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and parts of Punjab will see thunderstorms, dust storms and thundershowers till May 8," Mahesh Palawat, director private weather forecasting agency Skymet told IANS.

Skymet predicts that the intensity of the thunderstorm will however be not as high as that on Wednesday, which left 100 people dead in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, given the rains in several regions have bought the temperature of western and northern Rajasthan down.

"In next 24 hours, the temperature of Rajasthan will rise again," Palawat said.

The regional weather office in Jaipur earlier issued a warning for dust storm, light rain and thunderstorm for Alwar, Banswara, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Dausa and Bhilwara.

In the past two days, 124 people were killed while more than 300 injured in five states due to thunderstorm and lightning in the last two days. Besides the loss of 73 lives in Uttar Pradesh, the dust storm engulfed 35 people in Rajasthan and injured another 206. The massive storm and thundershowers killed eight people in Telangana, six in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab. Altogether, around 100 people were injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Here are the top 10 developments on possible thunderstorms and lightning approaching India:

1. Another thunderstorm likely, but of lower intensity, says IMD: After some inactivity on Thursday and Friday, another set of thunderstorms is likely to hit India's northwestern plains on Saturday, the Met department said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), regions including northern Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Uttarakhand will be affected.

"The intensity of the thunderstorm could only be predicted two hours prior to the activity," IMD senior scientist M. Mahapatra told IANS.

2) Modi announces ex-gratia for storm victims: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday approved an ex-gratia of Rs 200,000 each from Prime Ministers National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to dust storm in various parts of north India on May 2.

An official release said that the Prime Minister has also approved Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured due to storm.

3) Today no good either: IMD forecast suggests that on May 5, thunderstorms accompanied with squall is likely to be experienced in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, while thunderstorms, along with gusty wind, is predicted for Uttarakhand and Punjab.

It also predicts that heat wave conditions will prevail over Western Rajasthan.

IMD issues warning for May 7 (Monday) as well: IMD forecast says thunderstorm, accompanied with squall and hail, is expected in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on May 7, while thunderstorms accompanied with gusty winds would be prevalent in Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Heavy rain is expected in North-Eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura on the same day, while thunderstorms/dust storm in Rajasthan.
 

ALSO READ: India's MET dept. predicts thunderstorm for several states

A general view of the high tension wires which collapsed in Wednesday's massive storm, near Agra on Friday

4) Thunderstorm likely in western UP tomorrow: The meteorological department on Friday said that thunderstorm, accompanied with gusty winds, was "very likely" at isolated places in western parts of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
 

A spokesperson of the MeT department said Saharanpur, Muzzafarnagar, Bijnore, Baghpat and Meerut might be hit by a storm.
 

They said 331 cattle had perished in the storm in which Agra district was the worst affected.

5) After the storm, grief and disbelief echo through Agra's villages: Ram Bharose stares blankly at the dark, still damp patch of earth where his son and nephew bled to death two nights ago, when a high-intensity dust storm reduced to a crumpled heap his home and his family's hopes for the future.
 

Walls crumbled, roofs collapsed and tin sheets flew through the air as winds of over 100 kmph raged through parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on the night of May 2, killing more than 100 people in the two states.
 

More than 40 people died in Agra district alone, officials said.
 

The cries of those grieving for their dead and those in hospital with lacerations, broken bones and head injuries echo across the region, just beyond the spanking expressway linking the national capital to the state.


6) China condoles loss of lives in India: China on Friday expressed grief over the death of nearly 100 people in dust storms and lightning strikes in India.
 

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said: "We express out deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences to the large number of casualties and loss of property in the storms in India. We mourn the victims and hope the injured recover soon," reported PTI.
 

7) Dust storm kills 73 in Uttar Pradesh: In Uttar Pradesh alone, the high-intensity dust storm left 73 people dead, 91 injured and 105 domesticated animals killed with Agra, Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao among the worst affected.

The storms also caused widespread damage to private and public property, as many houses were left battered and trees uprooted.Electricity connection in many areas was also severed as power lines and electricity poles were damaged.
 

Agra district was the worst hit, accounting for 43 deaths and injuries to 35 others.
 

Three persons died in Bijnor, two in Saharanpur, three in Kanpur Dehat, one each in Bareilly, Chitrakoot, Raebareli and Unnao besides other districts, according to agency reports. The other affected districts include Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Mathura, Kanpur, Sitapur, Mirzapur, Sambhal, Banda, Kannauj, Rae Bareli and Unnao.
 

Yogi Adityanath announces compensation: The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has announced a compensation of up to Rs 400,000 to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for each of the injured in the heavy rainfall and storm across the state.



 

8) Rajasthan death toll rises to 36: In Rajasthan, 36 people were killed and about 100 people were injured in the state, officials said. Dholpur district was the worst affected with 17 killed, according to officials. Houses collapsed and electricity poles and trees were uprooted as the severe dust storm swept the Matsya region. 

"A few people are undergoing primary treatment while others were discharged. One critical patient from Dholpur was referred to Jaipur," Hemant Kumar Gera, Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief, said.
 

A detailed report of the disaster is awaited even as relief and rescue teams have been pressed into service to clear debris and restore power supply, Rajasthan he said.
 

Gera said contingency funds have been released to the respective district administration. He said Rs 400,000 will be given to family members of deceased, Rs 200,000 to persons sustaining 60 per cent injuries and Rs 60,000 to people with 40 to 50 per cent injuries.




 

People clearing the road that was blocked by tree whick fell in the Wednesday night's massive storm, at Kheria Mod near Agra on Thursday

9) Cyclonic circulation over Haryana was trigger for dust storm, say experts: A cyclonic circulation over Haryana was the trigger for the deadly dust storm that swept parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, weather experts said on Wednesday, estimating that the wind speed during the storm may have gone up to 100 kilometres per hour.
 

The winds were so violent that a number of houses collapsed and electricity poles and trees got uprooted, as the severe dust storm swept parts of these states.
 

The phenomenon was restricted to these two states, largely because of external and domestic reasons, experts said.
 

There were primarily four reasons that lead to the thunderstorm — excessive heating, availability of moisture, instability in atmosphere and a trigger for the storm, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Additional Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra said, according to PTI.


storm in UP, Rajasthan
 

10) Congress slams Yogi for campaigning in KTK after dust storm hits UP: The Congress on Thursday took a dig at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka even when people of his state were reeling under the impact of the severe dust storm that has left many dead.
 

"Even if people of Uttar Pradesh are suffering, I am busy culling out 'jumlas' (gimmicks) in Karnataka elections -- Adityanath, missing chief minister, Uttar Pradesh," tweeted Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala.
 

The swipe at him follows the death of as many as 45 persons in the high-intensity dust storm that hit the state overnight.
 

Adityanath is scheduled to address several election rallies in Karnataka.
 

With agency inputs