Delhi sees pleasant weather after rain, dust storm; AQI remains 'moderate'

One person died and two others were injured after a wall of a six-storey under-construction building collapsed due to the storm near Madhu Vihar police station

Delhi residents woke up to pleasant weather on Saturday after rainfall across the national capital provided the much-needed relief from the intense heatwave.  Strong dusty winds swept through Delhi and surrounding areas for the second day on Friday evening. The adverse weather led to injuries to three people and the diversion of 15 flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport, officials said. 

 

Weather update for today

India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the weather to remain pleasant in Delhi with very light rain or drizzle, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong surface winds of 30-40 km/h, gusting up to 50 km/h. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 34 degrees Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature is expected to remain near 22 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels are expected to be around 63 per cent. 

Sudden storm triggers chaos

A sudden dust storm accompanied by gusty winds swept through Delhi on Friday evening, disrupting daily life and causing significant damage. The IMD issued an orange alert, later upgraded to red until 9 pm, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and winds up to 70 km/h. One person died and two others were injured after a wall of a six-storey under-construction building collapsed near Madhu Vihar police station. Separately, three others sustained injuries in various storm-related incidents. 

50 flights delayed, several cancelled

According to ANI reports, from Friday evening till Saturday morning, over 50 domestic flights operating from Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed, around 25 flights were diverted, and seven were cancelled due to the dust storm. Senior officers of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Airport Officials monitored the situation and responded to passengers' complaints.

 

 

North Delhi faced widespread power outages as tree branches and other debris brought down electrical lines. Areas including Narela, Bawana, Badli, and Mangolpuri were among those affected.

Weather forecast for the weekend

The weekend weather forecast offers little relief, according to the IMD. Light rain or drizzle is likely on April 12 and 13, with a yellow alert for thunderstorms issued for Saturday. The sky will remain cloudy through April 13, and the maximum temperature is expected to stay between 35 degrees Celsius and 39 degrees Celsius. No significant rainfall is anticipated beyond April 12, though the IMD does not foresee a return of heatwave conditions for the rest of the week. However, temperatures are expected to climb again from Monday, April 14, as dry and warmer weather sets in across the region. 

Delhi AQI update

Air quality in the capital improved to the 'moderate’ category on Saturday morning after remaining in the 'poor' category for the past few days. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was recorded at 119 at 8 am on April 12, compared to 180 at the same time on Friday.  AQI across the Delhi-NCR deteriorated, falling into the ‘poor’ or ‘moderate’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 164 at 4 pm on April 11. Haryana's Gurugram saw a 'very poor' AQI at 305, while Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh recorded AQIs of 106 and 148, respectively. Ghaziabad’s AQI improved to 110, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.      (With inputs from agencies)