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More thunderstorms might hit 13 Indian states till May 11: Met dept
Early morning rains lashed Chandigarh and surrounding areas on Monday even as authorities in Haryana and Punjab remained on high alert following a storm advisory issued by the Met department.
The weather office in New Delhi has warned that thunderstorms, squalls and gusty winds are likely to hit many parts of India, including Delhi, till Friday even as the mountains of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall.
The weather department has forecast inclement weather conditions at several places ever since at least 124 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured due to dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning last week.
In a weather warning bulletin on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the states likely to be affected by thunderstorms and gusty winds are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Karnataka and Kerala.
Thunderstorms and squalls are “very, very likely at isolated places in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi”, the weather office said.
It also warned of dust storm in Rajasthan while heavy rain is expected in six northeast states.
The bulletin also warned of heat wave conditions in “one or two pockets in Vidarbha” in Maharashtra.
The weather office warned of squalls and hail along with thunderstorms in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The Haryana government on Monday closed schools for two days as a preventive measure in view of the weather warning.
Early morning rains lashed Chandigarh and surrounding areas while authorities in Haryana and Punjab remained on high alert following a storm advisory issued by the Met Department.
In Himachal Pradesh, mild snowfall occurred in the mountain areas while some parts received rain. The local weather office warned of more snow and rain accompanied by hailstorms and gusty winds in the state till Wednesday.
The Delhi government has put search and rescue teams on standby in every district following the meteorological department’s warning about heavy rains and thunderstorm. The revenue department of the government has issued directions to all district officers and said water and power utilities would also keep restoration teams ready .
“The district and sub-district search and rescue teams have been put on standby,” a senior official of the department said.
