IMD issues extremely heavy rainfall alert for Himachal, Uttarakhand

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday predicted "extremely heavy rainfall" in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and adjoining areas of Punjab and Haryana. The IMD has issued an orange and red alert for Himachal and Uttarakhand, which means that there is a "very high risk of heavy to very heavy rainfall". The weather department has also issued a yellow alert for Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

On July 9, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Hamirpurr, Una, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, and Sirmaur are expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall. Lahaul & Spiti is expected to get heavy rainfall. For Uttarakhand, the meteorological department predicted heavy rains on Sunday in Uttarkashi, Tehri, and Dehradun districts and on July 11 and 12 in eight of the state's 13 districts - Chamoli, Pauri, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar.

The red alert warning is the highest level of weather warning and indicates that extreme weather is expected. A red alert signifies that extremely bad weather conditions are certainly going to disrupt travel and power. During a red alert, there's a significant risk of damage to life and property, and accordingly, residents are advised to take immediate action to protect themselves.

The IMD has also issued an alert for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over Uttar Pradesh during July 10-13. Light to moderate rainfall with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely for two days in the western Himalayan region, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, the weather department said.

Heavy rainfall is likely to be caused by a western disturbance, which is a weather system that originates in the Mediterranean Sea and brings rain to the Indian subcontinent, the Met office said, adding that the western disturbance is expected to bring heavy rainfall to North India till July 11.

In West India, the weather department said that there will be light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall continuing in Konkan and Goa, the ghat areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat. After three days, the rainfall is expected to decrease.

The IMD further said, "Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Assam, and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur during the next five days. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Odisha during the next five days and is possible in Jharkhand between July 10 and July 12, in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar.”

Amid a forecast of more heavy showers in the next two days, incessant rains and landslides in Uttarakhand claimed five lives on Sunday, and authorities in the hill state have sounded a red alert as the water level was rising in all major rivers. Several roads were blocked due to landslides, affecting normal life as well as hindering the Char Dham pilgrimage for which lakhs of people visit the state. The water level of major rivers of the state including Ganga was rising, officials said. 

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