Watch: Massive dust wall engulfs Jaisalmer, darkens skies

JAISALMER: A massive dust whirlwind swept through the border and canal regions of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district on Sunday, disrupting normal life in Ramgarh, Mohangarh, PTM town, Nachna and several nearby areas. The whirlwind reportedly originated near the India-Pakistan border and quickly spread across the region, covering the sky with thick dust and reducing visibility. The dust cloud was so dense that daylight briefly gave way to conditions resembling darkness. The powerful sandstorm was captured on camera, with dramatic visuals showing a huge wall of dust moving across the desert landscape. The whirlwind stretched across several kilometres and affected a large area. The storm significantly reduced visibility, disrupting daily activities and causing inconvenience to residents. Power outages were also reported in several areas during the storm. Kailash Parik, a shopkeeper from PTM town, said the weather changed suddenly on Sunday after a day of intense heat and strong sunshine. According to the shopkeeper, a massive dust whirlwind rose from the direction of the Pakistan border, filling the sky with dust and plunging the area into darkness.

Visibility dropped sharply, forcing motorists to switch on their vehicle headlights during the daytime. The dust whirlwind later developed into a strong yellow-black dust storm accompanied by high-speed winds. While the sudden change in weather brought relief from the scorching heat, it also disrupted normal life across the region for several hours. The widespread power outage further added to the difficulties faced by residents. A day earlier, a massive black-and-yellow dust storm swept through Churu, Rajasthan, engulfing the area and severely reducing visibility as thick clouds of sand covered the landscape. A severe storm also triggered a huge wall of dust in Bikaner on Saturday afternoon, marking another episode of intense weather activity across the desert state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that thunderstorms, dust storms and rainfall are likely to continue in several parts of Rajasthan over the next few days under the influence of a western disturbance. Over the last 24 hours, several districts witnessed strong thunderstorms and rain. Bari in Dholpur recorded the highest rainfall at 58 mm, according to officials. The Meteorological Centre in Jaipur has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds of 60 to 70 kmph, along with light to moderate rainfall in isolated areas across the Bikaner, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Kota, Jodhpur and Udaipur divisions later in the day. The weather office has also warned of possible hailstorms and lightning in some regions. Officials said the unstable weather conditions are expected to persist for the next four to five days. As a result, maximum temperatures are likely to remain below 44°C in most areas, offering some relief from the ongoing heatwave across the state.