Strong dust storm hits Ahmedabad amid IMD’s rainfall forecast

Ahmedabad: A sudden dust storm accompanied by strong winds swept across Ahmedabad on Sunday evening around 6 PM, causing widespread disruption. Gloomy clouds engulfed the city within minutes, and powerful winds uprooted several trees and hoardings in the city.

As per official data, 10 trees fell across various locations in Ahmedabad due to strong winds and the dust storm. The affected areas include Usmanpura near Hotel Hayat in Shahpur, Ambli Railway Station in Thaltej, Rajpur at Magan Kumar ni Chali in Gomtipur, Mithakhadi Passport Office in Navrangpura, Kankariya Eka Club in Maninagar, Chamanpura in Asarva, Pakvan Cross Road in Bodakdev, Chandralock Tower near Patel Dairy in Shahibag, Chandkheda IOC Road, and Apsara Cinema near Kankariya in Maninagar. These locations witnessed significant damage as the storm uprooted several trees, creating traffic disruptions and other hazards.

Fallen hoarding at Shyamal Cross Roads

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall for Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat over the next seven days, till May 12. A weather warning has also been issued, predicting moderate thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 50–60 kmph

Strong dust storm hits Ahmedabad amid IMD’s rainfall forecasthttps://t.co/2P3nKBABdR pic.twitter.com/OddIWKua0y

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Other districts, including Surendranagar, Kutch, Bhavnagar, and Rajkot, also witnessed abrupt weather changes. In Chotila, heavy rainfall led to water flowing across roadways. In Botad, strong winds toppled a large roadside hoarding on Bhavnagar Road. Thankfully, no one was injured, and a video of the incident has since gone viral.

Vadodara saw dark skies and strong winds uprooting hoardings and trees across several areas. Residents were seen rushing home as thunderstorms and dust storms swept through the city, followed by a brief spell of rain. As a tree fell near Karelibaug Police Station, four people had to be rescued by the police

In Khambhat, 40 km/h winds created dust storms, troubling commuters during the evening rush hour. Meanwhile, in parts of Kutch, hailstones fell in such large quantities that they filled household utensils. Villages like Jatwala, Kalyanpar, and Dholavira in Rapar Taluka reported hailstorms, sparking concern among mango farmers over potential crop losses.

Rajkot experienced unseasonal rainfall and strong winds post-noon, as predicted by the IMD. Key areas like Kalavad Road, Yagnik Road, Mavdi, Nanamova, and Racecourse witnessed waterlogging, prompting motorists to use headlights in broad daylight.

In Bhavnagar’s Kumbharwada area, lightning struck a house in Amra Society, partially collapsing a wall and damaging electronic items. A nearby diamond factory also reported heavy losses. Several villages in Vallabhpur Taluka, including Rampar, Pipli, Chamaradi, and Pati, reported heavy rain, lightning, and wind. DeshGujarat