Between 4.30 pm and 6.00 pm on Wednesday, a massive dust storm surged through Kalyan, Panvel, and Thane, stretching into the northern fringes of Mumbai as far as Mulund. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an urgent alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), warning of thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph. IMD also indicated the possibility of light rainfall in coastal regions south of Mumbai — Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg — accompanied by thundershowers.

Storm impact

Combined with strong winds, the storm reduced visibility and caused difficulty in breathing for commuters and residents in Thane, Badlapur, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Dombivali, Airoli, and Digha. Several residents took to social media to share visuals showing low visibility and large plumes of dust in the air.