Massive dust storm sweeps through Kalyan, moves towards Thane and Mumbai
A massive dust storm swept across parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Thursday evening, covering areas including Kalyan and Mulund in thick clouds of dust and reducing visibility across several neighbourhoods.
According to local weather monitoring updates, the storm developed over the eastern suburbs before moving westward towards Thane and Mumbai, triggering concerns among residents and commuters.
Videos circulating on social media showed strong winds carrying large dust clouds through residential areas, with visibility dropping sharply in several locations.
Weather tracking platform Mumbai Rains issued an alert around 4:30 pm, warning that the dust storm could impact Thane and other MMR areas for the next one to two hours. Residents were advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel as a precautionary measure.
The weather update also warned of strong thunderstorms developing over the region, accompanied by lightning activity and heavy rainfall.
The sudden weather change comes amid rising temperatures in Maharashtra, with parts of the state already witnessing thunderstorm activity, gusty winds and scattered rain in recent days.
Authorities had not issued any formal advisory till the time of reporting, but citizens in affected areas were urged to remain cautious until weather conditions improved.
The dust storm also raised concerns over possible traffic disruptions and reduced air quality in parts of the metropolitan region.
