IMD issues 'red alert'; predicts heavy rainfall for Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat on July 23

IMD Issues Red Alert: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a "red-alert", predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat on July 23. In the bulletin, the weather forecast agency said that in northwest India, light to moderate to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall is expected over various states on specific dates.

On July 23 and 24, the rainfall is expected over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while on July 25 and 26, it is likely over Punjab.

Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi will experience rainfall on July 22, 24, 25, and 26, and Uttar Pradesh can expect rainfall on July 24 and 25.

West Rajasthan will see rainfall on July 25, and East Rajasthan on July 23, 24, and 26.

"Isolated very heavy rainfall is also predicted for certain areas. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand might experience heavy rainfall on July 25, and 26, Punjab and West Rajasthan on Saturday, and East Rajasthan on July 25," it said.

It also predicted that in central India, the region is expected to receive light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall over the next five days.

In west India, the IMD forecast indicates light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall.

"The Konkan & Goa and ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra will experience this from July 23 to 26, Saurashtra & Kutch on July 24, and Gujarat Region on July 23. Mumbai may also experience continued isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next two days," said the IMD.

The IMD said that south India is expected to have light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall over specific regions.

“The Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Telangana can expect this till July 24, Coastal Karnataka and Rayalaseema from July 24 to 26, South Interior Karnataka on July 24, and 26, and North Interior Karnataka on July 23. Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal will likely experience this on July 23,” it said.

For East India, the IMD forecasts light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall over Odisha till July 24, and isolated heavy rainfall over Andaman & Nicobar Islands on July 24.

"Furthermore, isolated very heavy rainfall is likely over Odisha on July 25 and 26,” it said. “Northeast India, the region will experience light to moderate fairly widespread rainfall. Isolated heavy rainfall is predicted over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during Saturday and July 26, over Assam and Meghalaya during July 22 to 24 and 26, and over Arunachal Pradesh during July 22 to 24," it said.

Yellow alert for Mumbai

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts for Sunday.

The weather department has also issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in isolated places in Mumbai for Sunday.

Earlier in the day, with heavy rains lashing Maharashtra's Yavatmal, a Mi-17 V5 helicopter was inducted from Nagpur to evacuate 40 people who have been stranded due to floods.

"Based on the requisition of the District administration, one Mi-17 V5 helicopter is being inducted from Nagpur to evacuate 40 people stranded due to floods in Yuvatmal district," said Wing Commander (Wg Cd) Ratnakar Singh, Defence PRO Nagpur.

With heavy rains lashing Maharashtra's Yavatmal on Friday night, many residential areas in the district were inundated, and water also entered several houses on Saturday.

As per locals, it rained for around four hours at night, and they woke up to flooded streets and rainwater entering their houses.

"It started raining heavily around midnight, and when we woke up in the morning, we saw our house submerged in water. Currently, the water has entered our house and our furniture including sofa, fridge, ration got submerged in the water," said a local.

Earlier on Friday, train services in Mumbai and adjoining areas were disrupted following waterlogging due to heavy rains in Maharashtra.

Waterlogging at Kurla station of the Harbour Line Down from Wadala to the Mankhurd section, suburban traffic was closed as a safety precautionary measure for a brief period. Rest assured, all sections were running. UP Harbour Line trains were running, the Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) said on Friday.

Maharashtra has seen a flood-like situation in various parts of its districts owing to incessant rainfall in the state.

More than 100 rescued in Yavatmal 

Around 110 people stranded due to floods in Mahagaon tehsil of eastern Maharashtra's Yavatmal district were rescued on Saturday, officials said. 

Besides the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), an Mi-17 V5 chopper of the Indian Air Force was also pressed into service for the rescue operation at Anandnagar Tanda village, district collector Amol Yedge told PTI. 

"The SDRF shifted the stranded people to safe places and the rescue operation was over," he added. 

The district, around 150 km from Nagpur, has been receiving heavy rains since Friday. 

Earlier, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had tweeted that two IAF choppers had left from Nagpur for rescue operations, but a defence spokesperson said only one chopper was pressed into service. 

The Mahagaon tehsil recorded 231 mm of rainfall from midnight till Saturday morning while the district recorded 117.5 mm rainfall, said collector Yedge. 

Some roads in Yavatmal city were also flooded and people in the affected areas were moved to safer places, the collector said. 

Around 140 people were shifted to safer places at Kasergaon village in Sangrampur tehsil of Buldhana, another eastern Maharashtra district. 

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Nagpur, forecast thunderstorms with lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places in Yavatmal, Gadchiroli, Amravati and Washim districts in Vidarbha on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)