Watch: Massive dust storm engulfs Rajasthan, apocalyptic scenes go viral on social media

A massive dust storm swept across several parts of Rajasthan on Saturday, disrupting daily life and creating dramatic, apocalyptic-like scenes that have since gone viral on social media. While the storm caused widespread disruption, the accompanying rainfall brought much-needed relief from the scorching heatwave gripping the state.

Stunning visuals from Bikaner, Lunkaransar, Fatehpur and several other regions showed towering walls of dust and sand engulfing entire towns and cities. The thick dust clouds reduced visibility to near zero, forcing motorists to switch on their headlights in broad daylight.



According to PTI, strong winds first intensified over the Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar regions, reaching speeds of nearly 56 kmph. The powerful gusts uprooted trees, damaged infrastructure and disrupted electricity supply in several areas. In Jaipur, a brief but intense dust storm lasted around 10 minutes before being followed by rainfall.


The weather event was triggered by a Western Disturbance and impacted multiple districts, including Churu, Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Nagaur, Didwana-Kuchaman, Alwar, Sikar and Jaipur.

"We never imagined such a massive dust storm would engulf the city. It is the first time we have witnessed such an intense storm. The sky turned dark around 2 pm, almost like nightfall. People are driving with headlights on, and normal life has been severely disrupted," a resident of Churu told PTI Videos.


Weather officials reported that a very severe dust storm with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph was moving across northwest Rajasthan during the afternoon, affecting districts such as Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur and Nagaur.


Several parts of the state also received rainfall. Churu recorded 14.8 mm of rain, while Pilani received 10.4 mm and Sangaria in Hanumangarh registered 3.5 mm. Dust storms were reported across Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Bikaner, while dense dust clouds blanketed Fatehpur and Laxmangarh in Sikar district, creating eerie scenes that left residents stunned.