A violent dust storm and rain, with wind speed of 70 km per hour, hit Delhi this evening, grounding flights, uprooting trees and costing one life. Nine people were killed in Uttar Pradesh and another nine people have died in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in South, which witnessed a storm too. Operations at the Delhi airport were hit and at least 40 flights were diverted. The met office said thunderstorms are expected across north west India over the next 48-72 hours, as several weather phenomenon including western disturbances, converge. A thunderstorm alert has been issued for states from Jammu and Kashmir to Uttar Pradesh and also in east and northeast India.