Monsoon active across India, heavy to very heavy rainfall alerts issued for several states.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across several states for the next four to five days. This weather system is moving rapidly.
According to the weather department, the current depression will move towards northern Odisha and Chhattisgarh in the next 24 hours. This will make monsoon winds more active in central, western, and northern India.
Consequently, widespread rainfall will occur in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand. Local administrations have been directed to remain highly vigilant.
The weather department warned that as the depression moves west-northwestwards, the impact of rain in western states will increase. This could further elevate the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
"The intensity of rain in western and central India will increase significantly over the next few days. Fishermen are strictly advised not to venture into the sea." - IMD Meteorologist
An orange alert for heavy rain is active in Madhya Pradesh from July 5 to 8. Meanwhile, extremely heavy rainfall has been warned for Maharashtra's Konkan and Mumbai regions on July 6.
In Jharkhand, continuous spells of rain will persist until July 8. Bihar is likely to receive heavy rainfall on July 6, while Uttar Pradesh will experience torrential rains on July 8 and 9.
Rainfall activities will also increase rapidly in the eastern parts of Rajasthan. Heavy showers accompanied by strong winds have already commenced in Jaipur and surrounding regions.
Continuous rainfall has severely disrupted normal life. On Sunday, more than 15 flights had to be diverted due to strong winds and heavy downpours in Delhi-NCR.
In Mumbai and Pune, heavy rains turned roads into rivers. Runway operations at Mumbai airport were suspended for nearly an hour, affecting several domestic and international flights.
In Nalasopara, roads were completely submerged, and several vehicles got stuck in deep water. Local authorities have initiated relief operations and advised residents to stay indoors.
Gujarat's Junagadh and Bhavnagar continue to face severe waterlogging. In Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, heavy downpours have flooded low-lying residential areas.
A massive landslide occurred on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarakhand. This has completely blocked traffic, and tourists have been advised to stay at safe locations.
According to IMD data, western India has recorded the highest rainfall of this season. Several districts in Maharashtra and Gujarat are facing flood-like situations.
The ghat areas of Konkan recorded over 200 mm of rain. Meanwhile, some coastal areas of Saurashtra received record-breaking rainfall of up to 570 mm, causing rivers to overflow.
Over 100 tourists were stranded at the famous Zenith Waterfall in Maharashtra's Raigad district due to a sudden rise in water level. Local villagers rescued everyone safely using ropes.
Following this incident in Raigad, the administration has increased security at all major tourist spots and waterfalls. Tourists are instructed to exercise extreme caution during the monsoon.
This intense phase of the monsoon may become even more active in the coming days. The weather department has urged citizens to stay away from waterlogged areas and swollen rivers.
Disaster management teams have been placed on high alert in all affected states. Special monitoring is being carried out in landslide-prone areas of hilly regions to prevent casualties.
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