At least five people died and more than a dozen were injured in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh late on Tuesday after a severe dust storm coupled with lightning swept through the district.
The following day, Wednesday, saw the extreme heat conditions return, especially in the Malwa-Nimad region where hot north-westerly winds blew in from the Rajasthan-Gujarat border.
In Indore, winds blew at a speed of 44km per hour and the searing heat forced most of the city indoors.
The city recorded a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius which was two degrees above normal.
On Tuesday night, high velocity winds of 50-55 km/hour saw many houses collapse in Bhind district.
Most of the casualties, caused either in wall collapse or from lightning, were of children.
“A trough line active in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar lead to clouding in the northern part of the state specifically in Morena, Bhind, Datia, Gwalior, Tikamgarh, Chattarpur, Satna and Rewa district which led to thundery clouds and dust storm in that area.
However, due to less moisture supply light rains occurred in few parts”, said director of regional meteorological centre, Bhopal, Anupam Kashyapi.
{{/usCountry}}However, due to less moisture supply light rains occurred in few parts”, said director of regional meteorological centre, Bhopal, Anupam Kashyapi.
{{/usCountry}}According to officials of the Madhya Pradesh Central Region Power Distribution Company, around 640 electricity poles and eight towers were uprooted in Bhind district due to dust storm.
“It will take at least one week in normalising the power supply of the district. Several electricity polls and towers were uprooted due to the storm which occurred on Tuesday night. The storm has also caused loss of Rs 5 to 6 crores”, said Pramod Sahay Saxena of Madhya Pradesh Central Region Power Distribution Company.
In another incident a bus carrying baraat (marriage party) turned turtle in Mohna village in Gwalior district because of the storm, killing three of the occupants.
The storms and overcast conditions slightly brought down temperatures, with Bhopal seeing a dip from 45.0 degrees Celsius to 43.9 degree Celsius.
Highest temperature in the state was recorded in Hoshangabad district of the state with 45.8 degree celsius followed by Khargone- 45.6 degree, Shajapur-45.1, Ujjain- 44.2, Ratlam-44, Khandwa-44.1 degree Celsius.