Severe storm lashes Noida, Greater Noida; outages, chaos reported

Noida recorded light rain and strong winds between 30-50 kmph on Saturday as a dust storm battered the region for a second day, causing outages, damage and major disruptions

A sudden and intense dust storm accompanied by strong winds and light rain lashed Noida and Greater Noida on Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon, causing widespread power cuts, infrastructure damage, and traffic disruptions across the region.   

High-speed winds damaged nearly 400 electricity poles and 40 transformers across Greater Noida, disrupting power supply in several villages and residential sectors under the 33/11 kV substations in Dankaur, Rabupura, Bhata and Salarpur, according to a Hindustan Times report. 

 

Storm causes damage, prolonged power cuts 

Several videos shared on social media platform X show strong winds and rain lashing Greater Noida West’s Ajnara Homes Society, where a chunk of plaster fell from an upper floor, completely damaging a car parked in the open. 

 

Residents of Balaji Enclave in Shahberi, Greater Noida, faced extended power cuts. The Hindustan Times report quoted a resident saying, “Electricity has been out since last night. It’s disrupted everything and power tripping is a routine problem here. We urge the authorities to find a permanent solution."

 

The impact of the dust storm extended to urban sectors as well. At JP Aman Society in Sector 151, residents witnessed scenes of destruction as powerful winds tore off windows and doors in several flats. A video of one such damaged apartment surfaced on social media, prompting criticism over the building’s construction quality. 

 

Traffic pole collapse and vehicle damage 

Another video on X shows a traffic light pole collapsing at DM Chowk in Noida’s Sector 27 during Saturday’s storm, completely crushing a car parked nearby. Fortunately, no one was injured. 

 

“The pole gave in to strong winds. While the vehicle was damaged, the passengers were unharmed. We’ve informed the Noida Authority,” said Surendra Singh, traffic sub-inspector, in the report.

 

In a separate incident, part of the roof at New Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat station in Delhi was damaged due to strong winds on Saturday. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) said operations were temporarily halted as a precaution.

 

Trees uprooted at multiple areas 

The storm extended its impact to Greater Noida’s Jewar area, where trees and electricity poles were uprooted. According to the report, a local resident said, “The sudden storm brought some relief from the heat, but we faced hours without electricity. Fallen trees blocked roads, adding to the troubles."

 

Uprooted trees were reported at multiple spots. In Noida’s Sector 27, a tree fell outside Kailash Hospital, briefly blocking access. Another tree toppled near Sector 16, disrupting traffic flow towards Sector 18.

 

Weather conditions and forecast 

Noida experienced light rain on Saturday, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds ranging from 30 to 40 kmph, briefly reaching 50 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Dust carried by these winds reduced visibility and slowed down traffic. 

 

The weather forecast for the coming days predicts partly cloudy skies, with surface winds ranging from 15 to 25 kmph and occasional gusts up to 35 kmph, along with possible thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to stay between 40 to 42 degrees Celsius during the day and 26 to 28 degrees Celsius at night until 23 May.

 

While the weather has offered some relief from the intense heat, efforts to restore electricity and clear roads are still underway.