Thunderstorm alert! The Panchkula weather department on Sunday issued high alert of thunderstorm and rain for May 7 and May 8 on Sunday evening, following which the state government decided that all government and private schools will remain closed on these two days.

State Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma today said the decision to keep schools closed on May 7 and 8 has been taken in view of the MeT Depatment’s warning.

STORM ALERT FOR 13 STATES

According to the MET department, parts of western Uttar Pradesh like Meerut, Hapur, Bijnor, and Muzzafarnagar will witness thunderstorm with rain.

A thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail are very likely at isolated places over the northern states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh while isolated places in the other northern states of Uttarakhand and Punjab will likely see thunderstorms accompanied with gusty winds.

Heavy rains are likely on Monday isolated places over the Northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, a Home Ministry official said on Sunday quoting an India Meteorological Department advisory.

WARNING BY HARYANA REVENUE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

In view of the warning, the Haryana Revenue and Disaster Management Department, in an advisory, has suggested safety tips be adopted in case of thunderstorms, dust storms, and squall.

As many as 124 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured in five states as a severe dust storm hit the region last week.

The villages around Agra took the major hit as 48 people died due to the thunderstorm and dust storm. Around 19 deaths were reported in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur.