Delhiites returning home after work on Tuesday were caught in a dust storm that had winds reaching 80 kilometre per hour blowing sand everywhere.
Traffic made its way dodging fallen branches and flying objects in low-visibility conditions.
Those on two-wheelers and autorickshaws were forced to stop on the side of the road as dust blew into their eyes making it hard to drive.
After facing unusually high temperatures on Monday and Tuesday morning, a low pressure was created in the city which drew dust-laden winds from the surrounding areas towards it, said an official at the Meteorological Department on Lodhi Road.
He said that the cloud build-up started around 2 p.m. and was converted into a strong dust storm by 4:15 p.m. which lasted over an hour. Some parts of the city even received a light drizzle. R. Jenamani, IMD Director at Indira Gandhi International Airport, said that visibility dropped at the airport to 500 metre as the 80-km wind brought with it a lot of dust.
According to information released by the weatherman, the storm was a result of the extremely hot conditions on Monday, which had pushed the mercury up to 43 degrees Celsius. The storm managed to cool the city from the 43 degrees Celsius, which was four notches above normal, to 41.5 degrees Celsius. The department has predicted clear skies for Wednesday.
