On the night of 24-25 May, for North India once again came as a night, which shared not only Delhi-NC but the whole of North India. This fierce meteorological orgy not only disrupted life but also indicated that now the weather cycles are no longer durability and the effect of climate change is directly hovering on our head. On the one hand, while people got some relief from the scorching heat, on the other hand, heavy rain and strong winds completely disturbed life. In May, when North India is known for scorching heat of 44–45 degrees Celsius, scenes such as sudden storms, strong rains and hailstorms are usually rare even during the monsoon period of monsoon.
Although the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had already issued a red alert before the storm, the intensity and widespread impact of the storm also left behind traditional seasonal forecasts. Late Sunday night, strong winds started showing their influence throughout the Delhi-NCR. Rapidly growing clouds from the west and north-west direction came towards Delhi-NCR in just a few hours. Suddenly the light lightning started to shine in the sky, then the rain started with thunderstorms and the situation turned into a powerful storm. The wind speed was so high that trees were uprooted in many areas, traffic signals fell, electric poles bent and many vehicles were damaged. According to IMD, during this period the wind speed reached 60 km per hour and in some places it was recorded even more.
Also read: Weather Update | Light rain in Delhi, severe heat in eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, rain and thunderstorms in western parts
Not only Delhi, the major cities of NCR like Noida, Noida, Greater Noida and Gurugram were not different. The strong wind in Gurugram blew the roofs of the sites under construction in many places while two people were injured when a crane of an under -construction building in Noida was injured. In other parts of North India, Jammu, Punjab, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan also brought this storm. Hundreds of trees were uprooted everywhere, causing roads in many places. A cloudburst incident also came to light in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, where seven vehicles were swept away and many others were damaged. The death of some people in rain -related accidents in Punjab was also confirmed. Farmers working in the fields were hit by strong thunderstorms. Earlier on May 21, the weather of Delhi-NCR had changed in the evening in the evening and the severe thunderstorms and hailstorms caused havoc in the midst of sudden changing weather. Strong thunderstorms, rain and hailstorm had become a problem for people in many states of the country including Noida, Ghaziabad. During that time, 7 people lost their lives in accidents and dozens of people were seriously injured while about 26 people were reported dead across the country.
The month of May this year started with similar unexpected seasonal changes. On the morning of 2 May, there were strong thunderstorms, rains and storms in many areas of North India including Delhi-NCR. Delhi had winds at a speed of 78 km per hour on that day and there was heavy loss with rain. The trees were uprooted, the power supply was interrupted and a sudden drop in temperature was recorded. Although even at that time, people felt a little relief, but this time the storm, which came in late May, was more serious and widespread impact. Experts believe that all these are not only normal seasonal fluctuations but are deep signs of climate change. Rapidly growing urbanization, industrialization and environmental imbalance in the entire North India including Delhi are now destabilizing weather cycles. Due to the ‘urban heat island’ effect, the night temperature does not fall and the heat of the atmosphere increases. Concrete, asphalt and other man-made surfaces absorb the heat of the sun and slowly release it, which keeps the atmosphere warm even at night. The minimum temperature of Delhi was recorded at 22.4 degrees Celsius on the morning of May 2, while the temperature usually drops to 18-20 degrees after such rain.
The Meteorological Department has described the confluence of western disturbances behind this time and the confluence of moist winds rising from the Bay of Bengal. Western disturbances are usually active between November to April but in the last few years it has also remained active in May-June, which is a sign of global temperature rise. This indication makes it clear that traditional weather cycles no longer have durability and weather activities are becoming more irregular and unstable. When the moist winds coming from the Bay of Bengal collide with the western disturbance, they form an organized seasonal system, causing heavy rainfall, strong winds and hailstorm in North India. It usually occurs in the middle stages of the monsoon but in early May or in the last week of May, such incidents are unusual, which proves that the direction of seasonal trends is now changing.
It is also having a profound impact on the agricultural sector. At this time, moong, vegetables, watermelons, melons and other summer crops are cultivated in most areas. Strong winds, hailstorms and rain damage these crops. Farmers of Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan have complained of failure of fruits and vegetables. This not only affects the income of farmers but can also have a widespread impact on the food supply chain and prices in retail markets. The impact of climate change is now being felt deeply in the Himalayan region. The snowfall level has reached a minimum of 23 years, which has endangered water security of crores of people dependent on the rivers of the Himalayas. According to the sixth assessment report of the IPCC, the weather in the Indian subcontinent has now become more uncertain and unstable than before. Unusual storms, unseasonal rains and sudden temperature changes, all indications that the climate is now withdrawn from its old form.
This is a serious warning for the government, scientific community and common citizens in the present situation. Now the time has come that we should not only consider climate change as a subject of scientific debate but also give it priority in public policy and personal lifestyle. India will now have to formulate a holistic strategy by connecting meteorological, agriculture, water conservation, energy policy and urban planning together. The National Disaster Management Authority also has to update its strategies. Different plans will have to be made according to the climatic characteristics of different geographical regions. There should be separate modules for dense urban areas such as Delhi-NCR, while landslides, floods and snowfalls have schemes for Himalayan regions. Weather -friendly insurance schemes for farmers in rural areas, accurate forecast services and a reliable system of vigilance before natural disasters will have to be developed.
However, the sudden and intensely changing weather in Delhi and North India is no longer a surprising event, rather it is a warning that if we do not warn in time, this change can lead us to more destructive conditions. This is the time when policy makers, scientists and common people unite and find a solution to the challenge of climate change. The storm in North India on the night of 24-25 May was not only a symbol of physically destruction but also a sign of the seriousness of the climate crisis, which we are all affected. If such incidents increase in the coming time, then it will not only affect our lifestyle but also threatened India’s agriculture, economy and environmental balance. Therefore, we have to be cautious, prepare and balance with nature, only then we can move towards a safe and durable future.
Yogesh Kumar Goyal
(Author is senior journalist, environmental affairs expert and author of the famous book ‘Pollution -free breath’)
