International Desk

Two people died and six were injured due to uprooting of trees as a massive dust storm accompanied by thunderstorms and rain hit Delhi-NCR on Friday night. Around 17 people were injured as the storm damaged buildings in parts of the national capital, the Delhi Police said.

Nine flights, including two Air India flights at Delhi airport, were diverted to Jaipur due to a sudden change in the city's weather, sources said.

Delhi Police received 152 calls related to tree uprooting, 55 calls related to building damage, and 202 calls related to power disruption.

Trees were seen rustling ferociously as squally winds with speeds of 60-70 kmph swept through the national capital. There were multiple reports of trees falling in different areas, leading to traffic jams.

In Delhi's Dwarka, a huge signboard fell on two vehicles, including an ambulance, injuring three people. The injured, which included two occupants of the ambulance and an auto driver, were taken to the hospital by officials of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS).

Police and other rescue teams were deployed to the spot. A crane was used to remove the debris.

The weather department attributed the sudden dust storm to the western disturbance. Delhi had been reeling under rising temperatures and humidity and the dust storm brought much-needed relief.

The MeT department had predicted the possibility of dust storms and thunderstorms on Friday, with light rain accompanied by hailstorms at isolated places.

The minimum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 39 and 29 degrees Celsius respectively on Saturday. There is a high chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday, the weather department has predicted.

Source: India Today