Storm, rain predicted across North India; Rail, flight services hit

The India Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms across north-west India over the next 48 to 72 hours and as a result several trains and flights are also running late. A powerful dust storm and rain hit Delhi, grounding flights, uprooting trees and bringing traffic on the city’s roads to a grinding halt, days after an alert across north India for a massive storm.

The alert says that thunderstorm accompanied with squall (wind speed reaching 50-70 kmph) are very likely at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Heavy rain is also likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

At least 60 people were killed as severe storms and rain swept north, east and south India on Sunday. The deaths were reported in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.