Rains in Delhi-NCR and Landslides in Himachal After Monsoon Season Begins

The pace of the monsoon season in the country remains slower than normal, with a recorded decrease in precipitation of 12 percent so far. Nevertheless, the morning in Delhi-NCR began with drizzling rain typical of the Sawan season. The Meteorological Department forecasts that intense rains will continue for the next week in many regions, especially in the northeastern, eastern, and some southern parts of the country.

The Meteorological Department (IMD) is closely monitoring the situation in several states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, and Telangana. IMD has issued warnings for heavy and very heavy rainfall for 50 districts in the eastern and western parts of the capital, Uttar Pradesh, starting from Wednesday until Friday. A warning for strong winds up to 40 kilometers per hour and thunderstorms has also been issued in about 36 districts.

According to IMD data, heavy or very heavy rains may be observed in the northeastern and adjacent eastern districts over the next two days. It is predicted that heavy rain will continue in several places for another five days. On August 5, Assam and Meghalaya are expected to receive 21 centimeters or more of rainfall. From August 5 to 10, extensive rains are forecast in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Additionally, good and very heavy rains may occur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the Gangetic plains of West Bengal, in Odisha, as well as in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal and Sikkim. Heavy rains are expected in Jharkhand from August 5 to 8 and on August 10, while in Bihar, on August 5 and 6. Heavy precipitation is also possible in several locations in Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and inland South Karnataka over the next three days.

Given the heavy rainfall, IMD has issued a low to moderate flash flood warning for the next 24 hours for the northeastern districts, the foothills of West Bengal, Sikkim, and some parts of the Western Himalayas. All districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Sikkim are on high alert. Many districts of Assam and Meghalaya, including Kokrajhar, Bongigaon, Dubri, Kamrup Raman, Daring, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, as well as Hasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills, are also included in the warning zone. In Manipur, the districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Chandel, and Churachandpur have been warned, and in Nagaland, Kohima, Dimapur, Phak, Tuensang, Wokha, Mokokchung, Longleng, and Mon.

Furthermore, the risk of flash floods is also predicted for some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand. Warnings have been issued for the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh; Doda, Kathua, and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir; and Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Nainital, Champawat, and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand. The Meteorological Department has urged people to exercise extra caution in low-lying areas, along rivers and streams, and in landslide-prone zones, and to monitor local weather updates.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning about rainfall in several areas of Delhi-NCR. According to IMD data, variable cloudiness is expected on Saturday, with one or two short showers possible in different places from morning until noon.

In Delhi today, the maximum temperature is forecast to be between 32°C and 34°C, and the minimum between 24°C and 26°C. Most regions are expected to show minimum temperatures below normal, while the maximum will remain near normal.

Furthermore, precipitation is also expected in Delhi-NCR in the coming days. IMD predicts rain in Delhi on Sunday, August 2, and has also issued a warning for Monday.

Forecasts also cover other regions: moderate or heavy rain is expected until August 6 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, West Bengal with the Gangetic plains, Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim. Heavy rain is predicted for Bihar from August 1 to 5, and for Odisha from August 2 to 5.

The Meteorological Department declared a red alert for eight districts of Kerala on Saturday. Heavy rains occurred in several parts of the state on the night before Saturday. The red alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Meanwhile, an orange alert has been declared for Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Palakkad.

According to the Kerala Disaster Management Authority, the red alert is valid only for a few hours, after which a decrease in rainfall is expected. It should be noted that the red alert is considered the most serious warning issued when there is a high risk of weather and the probability of damage to life and property. An orange alert is declared when the weather may deteriorate.

The monsoon has reactivated in Rajasthan. On Friday, rains fell in several districts, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Kotaputli-Bahror, with strong winds observed in Bikaner. Over the last 24 hours, light to moderate rainfall was recorded in eastern Rajasthan. The highest amount of precipitation, 69 mm, was registered in Kushalgarh Banswara, which is classified as heavy rain.

Light rains accompanied by thunder and gusty winds also occurred in the western part of the state. Meanwhile, the highest temperature in the state was recorded in Jaisalmer at 41.5 degrees Celsius, and the lowest was in Sirohi at 22 degrees Celsius.

According to the meteorological department, a low-pressure area formed over Eastern India has shifted west and reached the southern districts of Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha. There is a possibility that it will weaken within the next 24 hours and turn into a low-pressure area with moderate indicators. Consequently, from July 31 to August 2, moderate to heavy rains are expected in some districts of Udaipur and Jodhpur, while light to moderate precipitation is forecasted for the districts of Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, and Bikaner.

The meteorological department issued an orange alert for five districts and a yellow alert for the rest. Scientists suggest that starting August 3, the monsoon trough will begin shifting northward, after which rainfall activity is likely to move to the northwestern and northeastern parts of Rajasthan. Nevertheless, rains are expected to continue in the state from August 5 to August 6.

Meanwhile, NDRF commander Surendra Singh reported that the Indian Meteorological Department issued a 'red alert' for Vadodara and surrounding areas of Gujarat on July 31 and August 1. Due to this, three teams previously deployed in various parts of Gujarat have been recalled to headquarters. Starting July 22, they have been conducting rescue operations across Gujarat.