 "IMD issues red alert: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa brace for torrential rains")
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa for Saturday, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the region. The IMD predicts that this intense rainfall will continue to affect Gujarat and south peninsular India till Sunday.
A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday, moving northwards towards Odisha. Currently situated near Puri, Gopalpur, and Paradip, it is gradually progressing towards the northwestern-western areas.
“The system is expected to move northwestwards and cross the Odisha coast, near Puri, as a depression on Saturday morning. Thereafter, it would further move west-northwestwards across Odisha – Chhattisgarh and weaken gradually,” stated the IMD's Friday forecast.
In response to the depression's trajectory, the IMD has issued a red alert for Telangana, central Maharashtra, coastal Goa, and Gujarat for Saturday. An orange alert has also been announced for Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kutch, and Saurashtra over the weekend.
The forecast anticipates rainfall of 115-120 mm in these regions within the next 24 hours. Moderate to heavy rain is also expected in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and eastern Rajasthan for the next three days.
A 'signal 3' warning has been issued for coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh due to the ongoing heavy downpour. This warning, effective in Kalingapatnam, Visakhapatnam, and Kakinada, cautions vessels of a potential cyclonic storm.
On Friday, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh experienced heavy rainfall, prompting school closures as rainwater inundated homes and flooded streets.
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Meanwhile, the IMD predicts light, isolated rainfall in Delhi for the next three days. The maximum temperature in Delhi-NCR is expected to reach around 36 degrees Celsius on Saturday, with light rain anticipated in the capital on July 21 and 22.
From June 1 to July 19, all-India rainfall amounted to 324.4 mm, representing 98 per cent of the normal level for this period. At least 15 states and Union Territories have recorded normal or above-normal rainfall so far.