Weather Update: Heavy rains lash Nagpur, people from low-lying areas shifted; red alert for Chandrapur

Weather Update: Heavy rains lashed Maharashtra's Nagpur city and parts of the district on Saturday morning, disrupting normal life as water entered low-lying areas, prompting the authorities to move people to safer places and declare a holiday for schools and colleges for the day as a precautionary measure.

Around 50 students were stuck in their college in Hudkeshwar Nagar area of the city due to flooding, but were rescued later, officials said. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday predicted heavy rainfall, with the possibility of extremely heavy showers at isolated places in Nagpur and other districts of Vidarbha region over the next two days and advised people not to step out of their homes unless necessary. 

It issued a red alert for Chandrapur, and an orange alert for Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha districts for Saturday. 

Nagpur received a spell of heavy rainfall for around three hours on Saturday starting around 8.30 am, but its intensity reduced drastically after 11.30 am. 

IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nagpur recorded 135.6 mm rainfall from 8.30 am to 11.30 am and 0.3 mm rainfall from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. The observatory at the Nagpur airport recorded 90.6 mm rainfall in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am on Saturday, officials said. 

In view of the downpour, the Nagpur district collector declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the city and rural area on Saturday, they said. Around 50 students of Antalika College in Hudkeshwar Nagar in the city, were stuck inside the college due to waterlogging on the premises. 

They were rescued by the fire brigade personnel of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the police. Incessant rains led to waterlogging in several areas of Nagpur city. 

Two bridges in rural parts of the district got submerged, they added. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur, directed the district administration to ensure that citizens do not face any inconvenience due to rains. 

Taking to social media platform X, he said, "Heavy rains have disrupted life in Nagpur city and district. I am in constant touch with the Divisional Commissioner, Collector and local administration and the Collector himself is visiting the places in the city." 

A holiday has been declared for schools and residents of low-lying areas, where water has entered, have been shifted to safer places, he said. Some places in Gadchiroli have lost connectivity with other parts of the district, the Nagpur divisional commissioner is in contact will all the collectors in Nagpur division and they have been told to keep all the necessary system on alert, he said. 

In its warning for the next three hours starting 4 pm, Nagpur RMC said intense rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in Bhandara, Nagpur, Gondia districts of Vidarbha in the next three hours. 

It also issued a moderate flash flood warning over few "watersheds" (catchment areas and reservoirs) and neighbourhoods in Amaravati, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia and Nagpur districts that is valid for the next few hours. 

The RMC predicted thunderstorm, lightning and heavy to heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rainfall in next 24 to 48 hours in Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Wardha, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha, and advised people to stay indoors. 

It also issued a red alert for Chandrapur and an orange alert for Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha. A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain (6 cm to 20 cm). 

A red alert requires authorities to "take action" in view of an extreme weather event, while an orange alert signifies a preparedness advisory for authorities due to the potential for severe weather conditions. 

In Gadchiroli district, eight roads were shut due to flooding, including the Allapalli-Bhamragad stretch of a national highway, the officials said.