Monsoon rain, Chennai, India, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The IMD has warned of heavy rainfall across 16 states, with wind speeds forecast to reach 70 kmph in the most affected areas.
The alert covers the period from September 8 to 14, spanning Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.
Districts singled out for heavy rainfall in Uttar Pradesh include Prayagraj, Kanpur, Mirzapur, Meerut, Aligarh, Mathura, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.
West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Bankura and South 24 Parganas districts are expected to see heavy rain through Thursday.
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were forecast to see thunderstorms alongside rain, increasing landslide risk in these hill states.
West Bengal districts including Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Bankura, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and South 24 Parganas are expected to see heavy rainfall through Thursday.
Wind speeds of up to 70 kmph were forecast in the most affected areas, adding to the hazard posed by heavy rainfall alone.
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were forecast to see rain accompanied by thunderstorms, conditions that raise the risk of landslides in the hill states.
Eastern India, including Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha, was flagged for heavy showers and strong winds as part of the same weather system.
The IMD’s 16-state alert spans Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, among other states.
Authorities in flood-prone districts have been advised to monitor river levels closely given the scale and duration of the forecast rainfall.
September rainfall of this intensity typically coincides with the tail end of the southwest monsoon season, before the seasonal withdrawal pattern begins later in the month.
The IMD’s forecast covers a wide window from September 8 to 14, meaning the wet spell affecting these states is expected to persist for close to a week.
In Uttar Pradesh, specific districts flagged for heavy rainfall include Prayagraj, Gautam Budh Nagar, Kanpur, Mirzapur, Deoria, Shahjahanpur, Meerut, Ambedkar Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Balrampur, Bahraich, Varanasi, Ramnagar and Gorakhpur.
Monsoon rain, Chennai, India, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
