Heavy rains to lash North-East, may face floods: IMD

NEWDELHI: Parts of the country’s northeastern and eastern regions are likely to receive extremely heavy rain — over 20 cm daily — this week and face floods, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday as it issued alerts to authorities to remain prepared.

IMD issued a red warning for the North-East and parts of eastern India, including Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, from July 10 to July 12.

An orange warning was issued for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

NEWDELHI:Extremely heavy rain, measuring over 20 centimetres (cm) in a day, is likely to impact several parts of the north-east and eastern parts of the country, which could trigger floods, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Widespread and heavy rains are also likely to begin in several parts of north-western parts of the country from Thursday due to a convergence of moisture carrying winds from the Arabian Sea. The Central Water Commission (CWC) authorities have also issued a flood alert in districts along rivers in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Sikkim and sub-Himalayan West Bengal on Wednesday.

The monsoon trough is likely to shift gradually northwards along the foothills of the Himalayas during the next 24 hours. The convergence of south-westerlies and southerly winds from the Bay of Bengal over the north-east and eastern India will lead to very heavy rain. The convergence of south-westerlies and southerly winds from the Arabian Sea is also likely to bring widespread and heavy rain over north-western parts of the country from Thursday onwards.

Widespread rainfall is expected over the western Himalayan region, northern parts of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and north-eastern states due to the present weather systems.

Extremely heavy rain is also very likely over Uttarakhand over the weekend; over eastern UP, Bihar on Friday and Saturday; sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh from Thursday till Saturday, IMD said in its bulletin on Thursday.

IMD has issued a red category warning for the entire north-east, Bihar, and parts of UP from Thursday until Saturday.