Mar 28, 2016- 

The dust storm that engulfed Kathmandu for about 45 minutes on Monday afternoon has moved towards East. A light drizzle followed the scary storm making Kathmandu's atmosphere clearer and cool. 

A massive dust storm had arrived from Western direction and swept through the Kathmandu Valley.

A large plume of dust and debris billowed into the air everywhere, forcing the people to stay indoors, while people on the streets ran to safety to avoid breathing the dust.

According to Nepal Police, a total of seven people were injured due to the storm. Two people were injured at Tri-Chandra Campus, while others sustained injuries in Swayambhunath, Sitapaila, Kadaghari, Old Baneshwor, Teku, among other places.

Meanwhile, planes preparing to land at Tribhuvan International Airport were diverted due to poor visibility.

The gusts that surfaced in Kathmandu Valley had an estimated speed of 82km/h. It has now moved towards East and has reached Okhaldhunga and Taplejung, according to weatherman Sameer Shrestha.

For the past one week, Kathmandu and several other parts of the country have been shrouded in a blanket of haze, with increased concentration of particulate matter, which experts say, is enough to penetrate deep into the lungs.

Also read: Smoky haze over Kathmandu to stay until rain: Weatherman

Published: 28-03-2016 16:36