Delhi-NCR was hit by hailstorms and heavy rains. (Express Photo)
The Delhi-NCR region was hit by hailstorm and heavy rain Thursday evening, raising hopes among Delhiites for better air quality. The rain showers are also expected to add to the winter chill. Earlier in the day, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the ‘severe’ category with major pollutants PM 10 at 372 and PM 2.5 at 257, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research(SAFAR).
The air quality had dipped to the ‘severe’ category on Wednesday after an extended spell of low temperatures and stagnant winds impeded the dispersal of pollutants. Rains were also expected in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and a few other north Indian states. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand on Thursday recorded the season’s heaviest snowfall as an intense cold wave gripped the hill-state, leading to the closure of schools in several districts, the Met office said. Cold wave conditions also intensified following rain, snowfall in many parts of Himachal Pradesh and the maximum temperatures have dropped by 7-8 degrees Celsius. In J&K, the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed on Thursday evening following moderate snowfall in and around Jawahar Tunnel – the gateway to Kashmir valley, the traffic department said.
As pollution levels in north India rose alarmingly over the last two days, environmental advocacy organizations requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to declare a national health emergency, PTI reported. Pollution levels in the region increased over the last two-three days as falling temperatures, high humidity and low wind speed allowed rapid accumulation of pollutants from local sources.
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Due to heavy rain and consequent congestion over Delhi Airport, some flights have been diverted and held up at Delhi.
Operations at Delhi airport on Thursday were suspended for a brief period and 17 flights were diverted as heavy rains lashed the national capital, according to an official. Air India and Vistara are among the carriers whose flights have been impacted. The official said operations were suspended for little over 10 minutes late in the evening and 17 flights were diverted in the wake of bad weather.
In a tweet, Air India said it has diverted at least two flights to Jaipur, and few others have been held up at the Delhi airport due to "heavy rains and consequent congestion". Five flights of Vistara have been diverted to Ahmedabad and one to Amristar due to bad weather in Delhi, according to a tweet. The national capital, where the temperature is getting colder, received heavy rains late in the evening. PTI
Heavy rains and hailstorm lashed parts of Delhi-NCR Thursday evening. With this, the temperature will further decrease, adding to the Winter chill.
Uttarakhand on Thursday recorded the season's heaviest snowfall as an intense cold wave gripped the hill-state, leading to closure of schools in several districts, the Met office said. The higher reaches of Garhwal Himalayan region is experiencing continuous snowfall since Wednesday night, an official said, adding that the plains have been lashed by rain. The shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath along with several other areas are virtually wearing a thick blanket of snow, he said. Due to the cold wave conditions, government and private schools in several districts of the state will remain closed on Friday, he said.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate, Ashish Chauhan, has ordered the closure of all educational institutions including Anganwadis in the district on Friday due to prevailing cold wave conditions and heavy snowfall, an official said. The state capital of Dehradun has been lashed by heavy rain since Wednesday evening and the streets are wearing a deserted look as people are forced to stay indoors. PTI
Environmental advocacy organizations requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to declare a national health emergency, as pollution levels in north India rose alarmingly over the last two days. Pollution levels in the region increased over the last two-three days as falling temperatures, high humidity and low wind speed allowed rapid accumulation of pollutants from local sources.
"Almost all of north India, from West Bengal to Punjab, is reeling under severe air pollution that is verging on 'hazardous'. This is causing irreversible health harm to every single resident of these areas," said 'The Clean Air Collective', a network of organizations, citizens groups and institutions working towards the common objective of clean air. High levels of air pollution are violation of the right to breathe clean air. The entire north India has turned into a gas chamber, they said. PTI
It was a cold Thursday morning in the national capital with the minimum temperature settling at 12.8 degrees Celsius, four notches above the season's average, reports PTI. The relative humidity was 89 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 20 degrees Celsius, the meteorological department said. It has forecast a thunderstorm with hail during the day in the city. The city recorded a high of 23.2 degrees Celsius and a low of 7.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
On October 29, 2019, the journal Nature published an important paper identifying the dangers climate change poses specifically to Mumbai and other coastal cities. The research, carried by many newspapers including The Indian Express, indicates that anthropogenic climate change will inundate significant sections of Mumbai by 2050. Unless the city takes significant action in the next three decades, the sea will reclaim much of the landfill that the city has been built on. As per this study, Mumbai in 2050 will look a lot like Mumbai in 1700, unless the city makes serious efforts to adapt to climate change. Read More
MeT department officials said light rain and high-velocity winds are expected in the national capital on Thursday and Friday which will provide relief from pollution. Rains are also likely to occur in neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Cold wave continued to sweep north India on Wednesday with mercury settling at minus 15.3 degrees Celsius in Drass in Jammu and Kashmir and the weather department forecast heavy snowfall and rains in the northern states of the country in the coming days. MeT department officials said Delhi recorded a low of 7.9 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, and a high of 23.2 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, the mercury had dipped to the season's lowest at 7.4 degrees Celsius.
Greater Noida: Air Quality Index (AQI) at 416 in 'severe' category, in Knowledge Park-3.
On Wednesday, Delhi's suburbs -- Ghaziabad (470), Noida (426), Greater Noida (422), Faridabad (398) and Gurgaon (390) -- also breathed extremely polluted air. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. An AQI above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category.
Welcome to our Live blog. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the ‘severe’ category on Thursday with major pollutants PM 10 at 372 and PM 2.5 at 257, according to SAFAR. Follow to get all the latest updates here!