Tag: Dust storm

Bizarre ‘dust devil’ storm witnessed at Chennai’s Marina Beach, residents share scary videos

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In what comes as a bizarre development, a whirlwind-like pattern was witnessed on the sands of Chennai’s Marina beach. The incident took place at around 10 pm on Monday night. Many people shared videos of the very uncanny phenomenon.

The viral videos show tall columns of wind moving in a circular motion. The weird thing is that it did not happen on the complete stretch but rather on a very small part of the beach.

மெரினா கடற்கரையில் கடல் பகுதியில் இருந்து கடற்கரை சாலை நோக்கி மணல் பரப்பில் திடீர் சுழலால் பரபரப்பு #Marina #Marinabeach #news18tamilnadu | https://t.co/7dpn9FD15R pic.twitter.com/GPUKEXwLgk

— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) October 16, 2023

According to reports, some shops around the area were tossed due to this bizarre phenomenon. Panic was also created among people. However, no major damage, or any casualty was reported from the incident.

The phenomenon lasted just for a couple of minutes. Here, have a look at a few videos shared:

Saw This Dust Devil Video circulating in WhatsApp as it happened in #Chennai #Marina beach Yesterday Night pic.twitter.com/sP3oUfhZAD

— MasRainman (@MasRainman) October 17, 2023

BREAKING: Sand cyclone spotted in Marina Beach 🌀🌊#beach #leo #cyclone #Weather #Chennai #october #marina #Twitter #trending pic.twitter.com/59zoy9fVv8

— Dhinu (@Dhinesh_GD) October 16, 2023

While many speculated if it was a mini cyclone, a meteorologist later clarified that the beach witnessed a natural phenomenon named “Dust Devil”. While speaking to ETV Bharat, the meteorologist said, “This is not a cyclone, but a natural phenomenon. It’s called the Dust Devil. This event is held from time to time. But many people did not notice this. It mostly takes place during the day.”

Tornado in Marina beach in Chennai yesterday pic.twitter.com/925wvfCHWw

— Satyamurthy Nageswaran (@satya_murthy) October 17, 2023

For those who don’t know, a dust devil is considered to be a strong and well-formed whirlwind. It is short lived and the size ranges from small to large. They are usually harmless but sometimes they can be big enough to disrupt properties.

🌪 Dust Storm spotted at Chennai Marina Beach today! 😳😱

Credits – Prem #Chennai #Dust #storm #Marinabeach pic.twitter.com/Gp2aAPOhIs

— EVK Weather Forecast (@Evkwf_18) October 16, 2023

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Weather update: IMD predicts dust storm in Delhi, heavy rain in Northeast

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As Delhi gears up for another dust storm, the air quality index in the national capital region rose to 395, bringing it close to the “severe” category. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a dust storm or thunderstorm in Delhi on Wednesday morning, heatwave conditions in coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall in Northeast India until May 21.

Duststorms in North India

Thunderstorms with light to moderate rain are likely in isolated places of north Delhi, Gohana, Gannaur, Sonipat, Rohtak and Kharkhoda of Haryana, and Baraut, Bagpat and Khekra of Uttar Pradesh, the weather office said.

Additionally, Rajasthan may experience dust storms and thunderstorms with gusty winds in isolated pockets, while Haryana, Delhi, and West Uttar Pradesh are likely to experience gusty winds in isolated pockets.

Light to moderate intensity intermittent rain is also likely to occur over and in adjoining areas of Adampur, Hissar, Hansi and Meham in Haryana, the IMD said.

Thunderstorm/ Dust storm with light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-50 Km/h would occur over and adjoining areas of many places of Delhi, North Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, West Delhi, Central-Delhi, East Delhi and NCR ( Loni Dehat, pic.twitter.com/SlBuBPDdbv

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 17, 2023

Fishermen are also advised to be cautious as squally weather, with wind speeds ranging from 40-45 km/h and gusting up to 55 km/h, is expected over the central parts of the south Arabian Sea adjoining Lakshadweep area, as well as over the Northwest Arabian Sea and Somalia coast.

ALSO READ | Dust storm hits Delhi-NCR: Why air quality dipped in the national capital

Fishermen are strongly advised not to venture into these areas until the weather conditions improve.

In Delhi, the air quality index reached 395 on Wednesday morning while the minimum and maximum temperatures settled at 25.4 and around 40 degrees Celsius, respectively.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good,” 51 and 100 “satisfactory,” 101 and 200 “moderate,” 201 and 300 “poor,” 301 and 400 “very poor” and 401 and 500 “severe.”

Heatwave conditions in Andhra Pradesh

Starting with the heat wave conditions, IMD has warned that isolated pockets of Coastal Andhra Pradesh will be affected by scorching temperatures.

Residents in these areas are advised to take necessary precautions and stay hydrated to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Heat waves can pose a significant threat to public health, and it is essential to stay cool and limit outdoor activities during peak hours.

ALSO READ | Heatwaves: How this extreme weather event is defined globally

Heavy rainfall in Northeast India

Moving to the northeastern states, IMD predicts a heavy rainfall spell until May 21.

Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura will witness heavy rainfall at isolated places today.

This weather pattern can lead to waterlogging, flash floods, and landslides in vulnerable areas. Residents and local authorities are urged to remain vigilant and take appropriate measures to ensure public safety.

Thunderstorms and strong winds across India

Furthermore, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are likely to occur in various regions across the country.

Odisha is expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds, while Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, and Jharkhand may experience similar weather conditions, albeit with slightly lower wind speeds.

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The IMD has also issued warnings for thunderstorms and lightning in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Kerala and Mahe.

Residents in these areas should exercise caution and avoid venturing outdoors during severe weather conditions.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Dust storm deteriorates Delhi’s air quality

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The air quality of the national capital slumped due to mild dust storm from the dry arid western region and stood at 151 in “moderate” category on Thursday.

Weeks after the city witnessed clean air and clear sky, tiny particles in the air known as PM 10 skyrocketed to 151, while PM 2.5 stood at 145.

“Long-range dust transport from the dry arid western region is engulfing the region that has led to a sudden increase in the coarser particles (PM 10),” stated an advisory issued by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

Impact on the air quality is purely attributed to external natural factors linked to dust and is independent of local emissions, the advisory added.

“Due to western winds, low humidity, rise in temperature and no rainfall, dust is lifting and blowing towards Delhi from Rajasthan. This will deteriorate the air quality of the region,” Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional meteorological centre at the Indian Meteorological Department, had earlier said.

Maximum and minimum temperatures in the national capital will hover over 38 and 24 degrees, respectively. The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted “partly cloudy sky for Thursday.

Meanwhile, AQI in Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai was docked in the “satisfactory” category at 53, 86 and 60, respectively.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Unseasonal rain, dust storm kill 20 in Gujarat, Rajasthan; PM Modi approves compensation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Unseasonal rain and dust storm hit several parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, leaving at least 10 people dead in each state and several injured, officials said Wednesday.

Rain and dust storm were reported from areas including districts in North Gujarat and Saurashtra region, on Tuesday afternoon, they said. “According to preliminary reports coming from different parts of the state, at least 10 people have lost their lives,” G B Manglpara, the state government’s director (Relief), told PTI.

“Most of the deaths were reported in North Gujarat due to lightning strike and falling of trees,” he said.

Also, a portion of a tent erected for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Himmatnagar town of North Gujarat was also damaged in the dust storm, an official earlier said.

On Wednesday morning, Modi expressed anguish over the loss of lives and said the authorities are monitoring the situation very closely and all possible assistance is being given to those affected. In a tweet, the prime minister’s office said, Modi has approved an ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the kin of those who have lost their lives.

In Rajasthan, 4 persons died in Jhalawar and as many in Jaipur, while one person each died in Baran and Udaipur, Relief secretary Ashutosh A T Pednekar told PTI. There are 3-4 more deaths and we are confirming whether they are related to rains, he said.

Gusty winds accompanied with rains affected normal life in the state on Tuesday. Several trees and electric poles were uprooted in different parts due to high velocity winds of nearly 60 kmph.

In Jhalawar, two children were killed in lightning strike and two others died when a wall collapsed. One person in Udaipur died due in a lightning strike whereas a man died due to a wall collapse in Jaipur.

The weather turned rough due to Western Disturbance and winds with moisture from Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal. Dabok in Udaipur recorded maximum of 34.7 mm rains followed by Kota, Alwar, Bhilwara, Jaipur and Sriganganagar where 27.8, 21.9, 21, 13.8 and 13 mm rains occurred.

Few other places also recorded below 13 mm rains till Wednesday morning. The department has predicted dust storm or thunderstorm accompanied with high velocity winds and lightning at a few places during the next 24 hours.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mercury dips in Delhi after dust storm, says MeT department

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A day after a dust storm hit Delhi-NCR, the mercury slipped a few notches in the national capital, bringing some relief from the hot weather.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 26.6 degrees Celsius, one notch below the normal, the Meteorological (MeT) Department said.

A dust storm and thunderstorm has been forecast for today as well, a MeT official said.

The dust storm last night that hit Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, and Ghaziabad, had brought the maximum temperature down from 42 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature yesterday had settled at 30 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average.

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 42 degrees Celsius later in the day.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Dust storm brings operations at Delhi airport to standstill

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A dust storm with wind speed exceeding 100 kmph brought operations at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport to a halt during the evening rush hours, with close to 70 flights being diverted to other places.

The operations at the airport had to be shut down for close to two and half hours, sources at Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the airport said, adding that the magnitude of the disruptions in traffic was more than what was anticipated.

“The situation is slightly unique, the disruptions are mostly on account of wind shear… the number of diversions are now touching 70,” the sources said.
The air traffic operations began to normalise by 9 pm and the backlogs were clearing fast, they said.

Also read: Here is what the Met is predicting for the next five days and it doesn’t look good

Wind shear refers to a rapid change in winds over a short horizontal distance experienced by aircraft, conditions that can cause a rapid change in lift, and thus the altitude, of the aircraft.

According to an airport official, the wide-spread disruptions can also be attributed to the time of the storm which hit the airport during the rush hours and continued for over two hours.

As the disruptions worsened, various airlines took to the Twitter announcing the delays, with Vistara saying that operations of its airline would normalise by 2 am. It announced the cancellations of one its flight from Bhubaneswar which was diverted to Jaipur.

Vistara in a statement said, “Due to severe weather that impacted Delhi, over 70 flights across multiple airlines were diverted and many more delayed and cancelled.

“As this may have resulted in you (passengers) having to change your travel plans, we are waiving change/cancellation fee for all customers booked to or from Delhi on May 13 and 14, who wish to no longer travel or wish reschedule their booking for a different date. However, fare difference, if any, for flights on a different date will be payable.”

All efforts are underway to recover from disruptions and manage the situation at the earliest but consequential disruptions are likely to occur tomorrow as some aircraft and crew are held up at some locations due to flight diversions, it said.

Tough day yesterday due to massive weather-related delays, diversions, disruptions, cancellations. After-effects will still be felt today. Appeal to passengers to understand such things not in our control, and to not take it out on staff who are trying their best. @airvistara https://t.co/0HJELIRMAR

— Sanjiv Kapoor (@TheSanjivKapoor) May 14, 2018

Vistara has so far cancelled eight flights.

The diverted flights were mostly directed towards Jaipur, Amritsar and Lucknow which several others went back to their originating points.

International flights from Kathmandu, Riyadh, Colombo, Jeddah, Kabul were delayed even as flights from Tokyo, Newark and Colombo were diverted to other places, the sources said. Reports said some 10 international flights were diverted to Lucknow after the ATC at the IGI airport refused permission to land.

An official of an airline said that given the magnitude of the diversion, it would take close to 24 hours for them to normalise operations while sources at the airport said the exact number of diversions and cancellations would become clear by tomorrow morning.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow