Weather Alert: Dust Storms Sweep Delhi, Flights Diverted, IMD Issues Advisory

Delhi Weather Update: Dust storms, strong winds, and rain swept through parts of the national capital on Friday. Nine flights were diverted from Delhi's airport late in the evening due to inclement weather, officials reported. An official confirmed that some of the flights were diverted from the airport to Jaipur. The MeT department issued an advisory for the dust storm, urging people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. "Residents are advised to stay indoors, secure their windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in its advisory.

The IMD advised people to seek safe shelter and avoid hiding under trees. The Delhi Traffic Police have issued a traffic alert for Dharam Marg and Janakpuri after a large broken tree blocked the road at B2 Janakpuri.

In a post on X, traffic police asked commuters to avoid the stretch. There have been numerous reports of trees falling in various areas of the city as a result of the strong winds. The weather service had previously predicted generally cloudy skies with the possibility of dust storms and thunderstorms on Friday, with light rain and hailstorms in isolated areas.

Squally winds with speeds of 60-70 kmph were also expected on Friday night. "Due to the new active western disturbance, the capital will experience drizzle late Friday night," news agency PTI quoted Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre as saying.