Hailstorm for Delhi, avalanche alert for Uttarakhand: Western disturbance has North India shivering
Tuesday saw the capital Delhi and NCR welcome downpour, with many areas in the region even seeing hailstorm. Warning for avalanche has been given for Uttarakhand.
North India is shivering as the region sees a wet spell, with rains bringing a respite from fog and pollution in many places. Tuesday saw the capital Delhi and NCR welcome downpour, with many areas in the region even seeing hailstorm. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the city will continue to see light rain for the next three-four days.
15 trains are running late due to foggy weather conditions and low visibility.
The city was engulfed in darkness till even 9 am in the morning. Weathermen are predicting that current spell of dark clouds and heavy rain will continue till the afternoon.
I got out a felt a sense of impending doom. Like the kind you get in Sci-fi movies #DelhiRains pic.twitter.com/BIIehMdeW4 Adila Matra (@AdilaMatra) January 22, 2019
The reason for the change in weather is being attributed to the western disturbance coming from the mountains in North India.
#WATCH Rain and hailstorm lashes Delhi's Subash Nagar pic.twitter.com/lOtiWXJqzB ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
Good Morning Delhi ! Heavy rains #stayhome #DelhiRains #Hailstorm #Northendisturbance pic.twitter.com/8FgMpV5zv4 Varun Nautiyal (@VarunNautiyal9) January 22, 2019
Delhi Police has also issued a traffic advisory due to waterlogging in many areas. Commuters have been advised to avoid the stretch from Rajapuri Chowk towards Palam flyover due to obstructions caused by waterlogging.
Delhi: Heavy rain lashes the national capital; Visuals from Dhaula Kuan and Akbar Road pic.twitter.com/1N61BbV0tT ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
Traffic has also been obstructed on the carriageway from Mathura Road towards Ashram.
Heavy rains in #Delhi leads to traffic congestion in parts of the national capital; Visuals from IP Estate area pic.twitter.com/8hP9qOgELe ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
Neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are also grappling with rain. According to the IMD, rain and thundershowers with gusty winds very likely to occur today at some places over Hardoi, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Meerut, Hapur, Shamli, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad and adjoining areas.
#WATCH Haryana: Rainfall and hailstorm lashes Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/mLd5LpJVO9 ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
Cyclonic disturbance in Rajasthan
A cyclonic circulation has already formed over Rajasthan because of an approaching western disturbance. This is expected to trigger rain across the plains of northwest India, including Delhi, from the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, BP Yadav, deputy director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said.
Avalanche alert in Uttarakhand
Warning for avalanche has been given for Rudraprayag, Uttarakashi, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Tehri Garhwal.
Heavy Snowfall is being reported from different parts of Uttarakhand such as the holy towns Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath as well as hill stations like Harshil, Dhanaulti, and Chamba.
Schools will be closed in Udhamsingh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun on January 22 as a precautionary measure.
#WATCH Munsiyari in Uttarakhand receives heavy snowfall pic.twitter.com/Uc8CHGQvtv ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
Snow slide in J&K
On the other hand, a massive snow slide has taken place at the Jawahar tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. No loss of life has been reported yet. The Highway has been closed for traffic. Traffic department officials said landslides have hit the strategic highway at some places in the Ramban district, including Digdol, Panthal, Magarkote and Khoni Nallah.
#WATCH Snow avalanche hits Jawahar tunnel in Qazigund. No loss of life or property reported. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/CxGuxq9kqm ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019
"There has been fresh snowfall in Bannihal sector. Incessant rains are continuing in other parts of the highway. This is the second consecutive day of the highway remaining closed.
"No vehicular movement will be allowed on the highway today. Landslide clearance will be started only after the weather improves," a traffic official said.
The highway is the lifeline of landlocked Kashmir Valley as all essential supplies are routed into the valley through this road.
(with inputs from Dilip Rathore in Uttarakhand, Kumar Kunal in Delhi and Shuja-ul-Haq Thakur in Jammu and Kashmir)