Heavy rain, thunderstorm warning issued for 15 states by IMD

The India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms across 15 states over the coming days.

States on the alert list include Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Strong winds of up to 70 kmph are forecast, and hilly regions including Himachal Pradesh face a heightened risk of landslides during the spell.

The IMD also flagged rapidly rising river levels in several of the affected states as a key concern for the coming days.

West Bengal is under a very heavy rain warning, with widespread rainfall expected across the Gangetic plains of the state from September 7 to 10.

Jharkhand is likely to see widespread rainfall from September 8 to 11, while Odisha’s spell is expected between September 10 and 12, according to the IMD’s regional outlook.

In Delhi-NCR, the IMD forecast very light to light rain at many places, with moderate rain possible in some areas and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning likely during the morning to forenoon.

Hilly states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir face an elevated risk of landslides and flash floods as rivers in several states are rising rapidly.

Southern India is expected to see comparatively subdued weather activity during this spell, with only isolated showers forecast rather than the widespread rain seen elsewhere.

The northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya are all included in the alert, reflecting a broad band of monsoon activity stretching across the region.

Authorities in low-lying and hill-state districts have been advised to stay alert for waterlogging, landslides and possible disruption to road and rail traffic during the alert period.

The IMD’s warning system uses colour-coded alerts, with the current advisory urging residents in the affected states to exercise caution given the combination of heavy rain and strong winds.

Monsoon clouds over Bengal, India, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0