15 June,2026 09:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The video of the incident went viral. Pic/videograb
A massive dust storm swept across Rajasthan's Churu district on Monday, dramatically reducing visibility and leaving residents shocked as towering walls of dust engulfed the city within minutes.
The video of the incident went viral.
The storm struck around 2 pm, bringing strong winds of nearly 70 kmph and creating near-dark conditions across several parts of the district. Viral videos circulating on social media showed thick clouds of dust rapidly moving through streets, covering buildings, roads and open areas in what many described as "apocalypse-like" scenes.
According to reports, the dust storm lasted for approximately 30 minutes and significantly disrupted normal life. Residents were forced to seek shelter as powerful gusts of wind swept through the city.
The dense dust cloud drastically reduced visibility, making travel difficult and raising concerns about road safety. Many locals described it as one of the most intense dust storms witnessed in the region in recent months.
Following the dust storm, several areas of Churu district received rainfall, providing much-needed relief from the severe heatwave conditions that had affected the region over the past few days, reports stated.
The rain helped lower temperatures and offered respite to residents who had been enduring scorching summer weather.
A similar weather phenomenon was reported in Bikaner, where another massive dust wall moved across the city during the afternoon.
The event highlighted the widespread impact of changing weather conditions across parts of Rajasthan.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further thunderstorms, dust storms and rainfall across Rajasthan in the coming days due to an active western disturbance.
Officials said have advised residents to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather conditions. People have also been urged to take precautions against strong winds, lightning and sudden reductions in visibility.
Several netizens reacted to the sudden dust storm.
A user wrote, "Fierce, black-and-yellow wall of dust abruptly engulfed Churu, Rajasthan, bringing dramatic weather changes to the region. The sudden storm, packing wind speeds of nearly 70 km/h, severely dropped visibility and plunged the daytime into near-darkness."
Another user said, "Dramatic video shows a towering wall of dust turning broad daylight into darkness within minutes. Cars and bikes crawl through zero visibility with headlights blazing."
