The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has raised alarms with a red alert issued for parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa in anticipation of significant rainfall this weekend.
The forecast predicts heavy to extremely heavy downpours across these regions, continuing into Sunday, as a low-pressure system originating over the Bay of Bengal progresses northwards towards Odisha. Currently located near Puri, Gopalpur, and Paradip, the depression is expected to intensify and cross the Odisha coast near Puri as a depression by Saturday morning. It will subsequently move west-northwestwards, affecting Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and eventually weakening over the coming days, according to IMD’s latest bulletin. In response to the anticipated weather pattern, IMD has issued a red alert for Telangana, central Maharashtra, coastal Goa, and Gujarat for Saturday, indicating the potential for extremely heavy rainfall. Additionally, an orange alert has been issued for Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kutch, and Saurashtra, suggesting significant rainfall in these areas over the weekend. The forecast specifically warns of rainfall between 115-120 mm within the next 24 hours in these regions, with moderate to heavy rain expected to persist in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and eastern Rajasthan over the next three days.
Further complicating the situation, coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh have been placed under a ‘signal 3’ warning due to ongoing heavy rains, posing potential risks of a cyclonic storm. This advisory affects areas including Kalingapatnam, Visakhapatnam, and Kakinada, advising caution to maritime operations. Earlier on Friday, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh encountered heavy rainfall, resulting in local school closures and inundated residences as streets were submerged under rainwater. The IMD continues to monitor the weather developments closely and urges residents in the affected regions to stay updated with official advisories and take necessary precautions to ensure safety during this period of heightened rainfall activity.
