Dust Storm After A Hot Day Catches Nagpur Unawares

Nagpur: Soon after sundown, a sudden spell of gusty winds swept across the city on Saturday, bringing down temperature and providing much-needed respite from heat. The intense squall, lasting barely 15 minutes, blew large plumes of dust and dry leaves into the air and sharply reduced visibility.The sudden weather change caught Nagpurians off guard and triggered panic as strong winds entered homes, high-rises and bungalows, sending utensils, clothes and other loose items flying. Plastic waste was scattered across streets, pavements and open spaces.Earlier in the day, the mercury soared to 43.8 degrees Celsius.Light rainfall was reported at isolated locations following the winds. No major damage to public or private property was reported, barring incidents at a few under-construction sites. However, dust from ongoing roadwork and real estate projects worsened conditions during the storm. At several places like WHC Road, big tree branches came off, as well as one of the green nets at GPO. Roadside vendors and motorists were briefly stranded in the open.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), more thunderstorms and rainfall are likely over the next three days starting Monday. Officials attributed the sudden squall to local convection triggered by persistently high temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Vidarbha is likely to witness above-normal heatwave days in May, adding stress on water resources, crops and public health, as per the IMD forecast. The Vidarbha region is likely to get below-normal rainfall in May, according to the latest monthly outlook issued by the IMD. The IMD noted that ENSO-neutral conditions are gradually shifting towards El Niño, which is expected to develop during the southwest monsoon season.