Widespread rain expected across northwest and central India as Bay of Bengal system intensifies
New Delhi: Northwest India is likely to see widespread rainfall over the coming days as multiple weather systems strengthen. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has
New Delhi: Northwest India is likely to see widespread rainfall over the coming days as multiple weather systems strengthen. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rain across the Western Himalayan region and parts of the plains. In addition, a low-pressure area over the North Bay of Bengal, off the West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts, is likely to become a well-marked low-pressure area within 12 hours and intensify into a depression over the subsequent 24 hours. Its influence is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall, including isolated extremely heavy rain, to Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal on 13 August.
For the northwest region, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is forecast over Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad during 13-18 August. Uttarakhand is likely to receive similar rainfall from 13-18 August. Also Read | Indian reservoir water level drops 39% even as monsoon rainfall improves Rainfall is also expected to increase over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab on 14-15 August, while East Uttar Pradesh is likely to receive widespread rain during 14-18 August. East Rajasthan is expected to receive similar rainfall on 13 August. Meanwhile, central India is expected to receive fairly widespread to widespread rainfall, particularly over Chhattisgarh, East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, during 13-18 August.
In the eastern region, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is likely over Odisha from 13-15 August, while Gangetic West Bengal is expected to receive widespread rainfall during 13-18 August. Jharkhand and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are also likely to receive widespread rainfall during the period. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of up to 60 kmph are likely over Gangetic West Bengal during 13-14 August. Odisha may also witness isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall during the period, increasing the risk of waterlogging and flash flooding in vulnerable areas. Flash flood risk As widespread rainfall is forecast across parts of eastern India, several districts in Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal are likely to face a low to moderate risk of flash floods over the next 24 hours.
In Odisha, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Puri and Sundargarh are at risk, while West Midnapore, East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and Howrah in Gangetic West Bengal could also see flash flooding, according to the IMD's flash flood guidance. The weather office warned that surface runoff and inundation may occur in fully saturated soils and low-lying areas due to expected rainfall.
The BriefWire