In a dramatic turn of events, Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, was struck by a powerful storm accompanied by heavy downpours and strong winds, reaching speeds of 96 km per hour.
This storm surpassed the previous record set by the Taukate storm in May 2021, which had a wind speed of about 75 km/hr. The sudden onslaught of the storm caused the city to plunge into darkness and resulted in several significant consequences.
The storm brought torrential rains and gusty winds, leading to a sharp drop in temperature. Jaipur experienced a minimum temperature of 17.3°C on that fateful Thursday night, marking the coldest May night for the city in 50 years.
The heavy rainfall affected not only Jaipur but also various other districts in Rajasthan, including Tonk, Karauli, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Jodhpur, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Hanumangarh, Bharatpur, Dausa, Sikar, Nagaur, and Alwar.
The storm wreaked havoc across the region, causing widespread damage. Trees, plants, walls, electric poles and hoardings collapsed in many areas of Jaipur. The destruction resulted in disruptions to flight operations for approximately an hour.
The impact was not limited to Jaipur alone, as Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, and other districts also experienced heavy rains and hailstorms. Incessant rains and hailstorms have brought down the temperature in many Rajasthani cities, with many district recording minimum temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of strong wind speed of 70-80 kmph in Jaipur, Dausa, Alwar, Bhilwara, Ajmer and Sawai Madhopur districts.
In addition, an orange alert has been issued for northern parts of Rajasthan including Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Kota districts where rain is expected till Saturday, May 27.
Several districts, including Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Alwar, Nagaur, Jaipur, Dausa, Bharatpur, Dhaulpur, and Karauli, were expected to experience intense thunderstorms accompanied by winds ranging from 50 to 60 kmph. Hailstorms were also likely in some areas.
Furthermore, the Meteorological Department warned that another Western Disturbance is expected to bring intense thunderstorm activity from May 28. Due to this, there will be heavy rain, hailstorm and strong winds with a speed of 50 to 70 kmph, which will continue to affect different parts of Rajasthan.