Thunderstorm alert across North India: Evening schools shut, Delhi metro to exercise caution

Several parts of north India are likely to witness thunderstorm, accompanied by gusty winds and moderate squall on May 8. Wind speed is expected to vary between 50 and 70 km per hour, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

In the next 48 hours, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh are expected to witness heavy to moderate rainfall. The wind speed of 50-70 kilometers per hour has been predicted. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has said all evening shift schools will remain closed on May 8. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)

The Delhi Metro, too, has decided to exercise caution in running trains. "Normal movement of trains will be restored once the wind speed is less then 85kmph for continuous five minutes,” the DMRC said. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

The prediction comes a week after a deadly thunderstorm killed at least 124 people and injured more than 300 in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Pic: A dust storm is seen building up over the city of Bikaner on May 7.(Source: PTI)

IMD additional director-general Mritunjay Mohapatra said, “The intensity is expected to be less in comparison to the thunderstorm that occurred on May 2.” (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)

Days after dust storms whipped through parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, a blame game has started between the Centre and the IMD over alleged lapses in the weather warning agency’s early warning mechanism. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)

The IMD said that its role was to forecast and issue alerts, while it was up to the state authorities to take it to the “last mile” and alert people. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)