By Fifteen states are on alert after the India Meteorological Department warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms over the coming days.
The states named in the alert are Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The IMD forecast wind speeds of up to 70 kmph, along with a heightened landslide risk in hilly states such as Himachal Pradesh.
Water levels in rivers across several of the alerted states are rising rapidly, the department said, adding to concerns of localised flooding.
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.
A low-pressure area over southwest Uttar Pradesh and surrounding areas is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh.
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.
Monsoon clouds over Bengal, India, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
