The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a high warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of Maharashtra and West Bengal for the next few days, with residents warned to remain cautious and be in tune with official announcements.
For Maharashtra, the IMD on Wednesday forecasted extensive very heavy to heavy rain, especially affecting the Konkan region and Ghat districts. A red alert has been issued for Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts in the Konkan, predicting heavy to very heavy rain at a few places with isolated reports of extremely heavy rain on Thursday, July 24. This red alert will continue to be in force for these three districts on Friday also.
Mumbai, Palghar district, and Thane district have been put on an Orange Alert for Thursday, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at scattered locations. A Yellow Alert is issued for the three districts on Friday.
The Met department has also posted a Red Alert for the ghat sections of Satara, Pune, and Kolhapur districts for Thursday, and the same conditions may prevail over Satara and Pune’s ghat sections on Friday. The heavy rainfall in Maharashtra is due to the probable establishment of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to develop in the next 24 hours.
Heavy Rains Forecasted For South Bengal
At the same time, the IMD has also predicted heavy showers over South Bengal from July 24 to July 28, also thanks to the low-pressure system over North Bay of Bengal.
North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, and Purulia districts are likely to have heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places during this time. Isolated heavy showers may also occur over other districts of South Bengal. Some of the sub-Himalayan districts are also likely to have heavy rainfall from July 25 to 28. Heavy rain is particularly likely to occur on July 25 in Kolkata.
The governments of both the states have appealed to people to take every precaution, follow local weather forecasts, and stay away from areas that are vulnerable to waterlogging or landslides. Fishermen have also been asked not to travel to the affected coastal regions.