IMD alert: Delhi schools partially closed today, Haryana cancels leaves of civic officials

The Delhi government has decided to close all evening schools on Tuesday and put search and rescue teams on standby in the wake of the meteorological (MeT) department issuing a warning of heavy rain and thunderstorm.

The traffic police has alerted their field formations to be ready to remove obstacles such as fallen trees and asked commuters to check weather conditions before travelling.

The Delhi Metro, too, has decided to exercise extreme caution in running of trains in the wake of the warning.

The government said that all evening schools (second shift which starts from the afternoon) will be shut tomorrow after chief secretary Anshu Prakash chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness in the wake of the warning.

"All evening schools will remain closed tomorrow following the weather warning," a senior government official told PTI.

The government has also asked other schools to not hold outdoor activities and extracurricular activities between 3 pm to 7 pm during which winds speed is expected to remain high. The government also issued a list of "dos and don'ts" to deal with any such possible situation.

Dust storm hits Chandigarh, parts of Punjab, Haryana

Dust storms hit Chandigarh and parts of Punjab and Haryana this evening with many residents preferring to stay indoors in view of the IMD forecasting thunderstorm and squall tomorrow in several parts of north India.

There were reports of power supply getting disrupted at some places in the states. The Haryana government has cancelled leave of all officials in civic bodies across the state, in view of the IMD alert of thunderstorm and squall. Fire and other emergency services, too, have been directed to remain alert.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued an alert forecasting that several parts of north India including Delhi could witness thunderstorm and squall tomorrow with winds gusting up to 50-70 kilometers per hour.

Officials of the fire, revenue, traffic police, home, public works departments and others were present in the meeting chaired by the chief secretary.

Do's and don'ts by the government

• In the list of "dos and don'ts", the government has advised citizens to try to stay indoors and staff off verandas and keep a watch on local weather updates and warnings.
• The government also asked people to ensure that children and animals are inside and unplug unnecessary electrical appliances.
• The advisory also asked citizens to avoid taking a bath or shower or running water for any purpose.
• "This is because lightning can travel along pipes. Keep away from doors, windows, fire places, stoves, bath-tubs, or any other electrical charge conductors," the advisory stated.

The IMD issued an amber-coloured alert, indicating severe weather, for parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, western Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal.

Delhi traffic police advisory

• At the same time, the Delhi Traffic Police has advised commuters to plan their journey after checking the weather conditions.
• The Delhi Traffic Police's advisory states that it has alerted the field formations to be ready to get obstacles such as fallen trees removed.
• The advisory has asked commuters to avoid travelling during the storm. Those who are stopping on the road or parking their vehicle have been advised to keep away from overhead electrical wires, tinned roofs, trees, etc., it said.
• The commuters have been advised to take shelter under concrete structures. Drivers have been advised to use dippers or parking lights while driving.
• The advisory said that commuters should "keep themselves updated about weather conditions and plan their journey accordingly".

At least 124 people were killed and more than 300 others injured in five states due to dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning last week.