Storm alert in Bikaner, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur

District collectors in Bikaner, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur on Monday issued high alert for the next 48 hours after the MeT department forecast thunderstorm and squall in northern India.

Leave of all government employees was cancelled following the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued an amber-coloured alert, indicating severe weather in the region.

Several parts of North India could witness thunderstorm and squall with winds gusting up to 50-70 km per hour, the alert said.

At least 35 people were killed in a sand storm hit eastern Rajasthan on May 2 before entering Uttar Pradesh.

Alwar district collector Prakash Rajpurohit said police force with executive magistrates have been posted in offices of Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited. “No application for leave from any state government staff will be entertained in next three days,” he said.

Bharatpur collector Sandesh Nayak and Dholpur collector Nannumal Pahadia also announced an alert in the districts and asked people to be careful in next two days.

They asked people to stay indoors during heavy wind or storm. People have been asked to not take shelter in weak buildings.

District collector of Bharatpur Sandesh Nayak also issued a similar warning. He said people were being suggested to be careful with unwanted storm repeated.

People must take care of themselves during the storm and not allow children out of houses, don’t use firewood to cocking food in open, he said.

Some fire related incidents were reported from the district during the storm on May 2.

All Patwari were directed to stay in their areas to offer assistance for locals if any incident happened. Besides, all department officials were put on alert to tackle any circumstances.

Police quick response teams, search and rescue teams have also been directed to remain alert. Power department officials have been directed to shut down power before the chances of storm or heave wind.

District collector of Bharatpur Sandesh Nayak said: “We are discussing officials to consider to issue order all schools remain close. The decision to close schools will be taken after confirm the capacity of storm by the meteorological department.”

In New Delhi, an IMD official said a western disturbance runs over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, while there is a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

This will bring light to moderate rainfall in north India, Mritunjay Mohapatra, Additional Director General, IMD, said. He, however, said, “The intensity is expected to be less in comparison to the thunderstorm that occurred on May 2.”