Flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were reportedly suspended for 30 minutes on Monday due to heavy rainfall and dust storms that hit the city.
The suspension, which came in the wake of inclement weather, caused potential air traffic congestion, as per reports. The low-cost airline Indigo advised flyers to keep a tab on their flight status for any updates.
The rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds, and thundering, brought a much-needed respite from the scorching heat that had been gripping Mumbai.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued alerts for several districts in Maharashtra, including thunderstorm warnings with lightning and winds, as well as an orange alert for areas likely to experience heavy rainfall.
The weather department had earlier predicted thunderstorms in some districts of Maharashtra, with isolated heavy rainfall specifically in Madhya Maharashtra on Monday.
The IMD also informed that hailstorm activity was observed during the past 24 hours till 8:30 am on Monday at isolated places over Jammu-Kashmir, Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Telangana, and Madhya Maharashtra.
The Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) issued a yellow alert for Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Solapur, Latur, Beed, Nagpur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, indicating the likelihood of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds at isolated places.
Meanwhile, an orange alert, signifying the possibility of heavy rainfall, was issued for Pune, Satara, Sangli, Nashik, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, and Parbhani districts.
The heavy rainfall and dust storms brought a welcome respite from the heat, but it is important to stay updated on weather alerts and take necessary precautions when venturing outdoors.
