Dust storm throws life out of gear in Delhi

New Delhi : Normal life was thrown out of gear on Friday evening as dust-laden storm blew across Delhi, followed by drizzle that brought down the temperature.

Commuters were left stranded due to the storm, recorded at 81 km per hour, which brought down visibility in the national capital," a Met official told IANS.

The inclement weather led to disruption of schedule of nearly two dozen flights by up to an hour.

As the dust storm blew across Delhi, people returning from offices and vehicle owners were forced to seek shelter under trees and elsewhere. Commuters said Delhi Metro service was delayed for almost half-an-hour due to stong winds. 

Friday's maximum temperature settled at 36.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average. "Due to the drizzle, the temperature dipped to 28.4 degrees," the Met official said.

The sky is likely to remain partly cloudy, he added.