Dust storm lashes Delhi and adjoining areas of NCR, emergency services put on alert

Residents have been advised to stay indoors as far as is possible. Those who find themselves in the midst of dust storms have been told to find solid structures to take refuge under or remain in vehicles with emergency lights on.

Dust storm swept across Noida and several other parts of NCR. (Zee News Photo)

New Delhi: High-speed winds lashed Delhi and adjoining areas of NCR - including Gurgaon and Noida - late Monday night, prompting authorities to issue advisory. Emergency services too have been put on high alert in several north Indian states.

While the Met department had already issued a warning for thunderstorm accompanied by high-speed winds, the Delhi government and Delhi traffic police also issued directives soon after. Residents have been advised to stay indoors and if outside at all, to exercise maximum caution.

#WATCH: Severe dust-storm hits Haryana's Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/FLqMJsxhc3

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2018

Visuals of dust-storm hitting the Pragati Maidan area of Delhi. Following thunderstorm and dust storm alert, all evening schools to remain shut tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/DM7i7zJebx

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2018

Evening schools in Delhi will remain shut on Tuesday while Haryana had already announced school holidays for the first two days of the week.

Delhi government issued advisory following thunderstorm and dust-storm alert for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/uPTTWYOQxq

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2018

Meanwhile, dust storms and thundershowers lashed several parts of Rajasthan including Bikaner. Many areas in western UP too reported high-speed winds which brought in heavy showers accompanied by lightning. Schools in Meerut and Ghaziabad will remain shut on Tuesday.

(Watch: Humongous sandstorm in Bikaner is like a scene out of horror movie)

Several areas in Punjab and Haryana too witnessed dust storms forcing locals to take refuge indoors. PTI reported that Haryana government has cancelled leave of all officials in civic bodies across the state, in view of the IMD alert of thunderstorm and squall. The news agency also reported that fire and other emergency services, too, have been directed to remain alert.

In Himachal Pradesh, mild snowfall occurred on Monday in the mountain areas while some parts received rain. 

The IMD has also warned that other states likely to be affected by the thundershowers include Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Karnataka and Kerala.