Severe form of monsoon across the country: ‘Red alert’ of extremely heavy rain in Odisha, warning of thunderstorm and lightning in 24 states including UP, Uttarakhand

Monsoon has reached its full speed in most parts of the country and the ferocious form of nature is being seen. Releasing the latest weather bulletin for today (Monday, July 27), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe alert of heavy rain, strong thunderstorm and lightning in more than 24 states and union territories of the country. A red color warning has been issued for Odisha due to the strong weather system formed over the Bay of Bengal, where extremely heavy rainfall including torrential rain is expected in many areas.

Crisis of very heavy rains in these 6 states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand

According to the Meteorological Department, heavy to very heavy rainfall can be recorded in 6 major states and geographical areas of the country today:

• Uttarakhand: There is a serious possibility of landslides and waterlogging in low-lying areas due to torrential rains in the hilly areas.

• Eastern Uttar Pradesh: There will be gathering of dark clouds in the districts of Purvanchal and warning of very heavy rain has been given at many places.

• Chhattisgarh and West Bengal: Life may be affected due to heavy rains in Chhattisgarh and southern and coastal West Bengal.

• Konkan-Goa and Central Maharashtra: Torrential rains will continue in the coastal areas as well as the ghat areas of Maharashtra.

Heavy rain alert in 17 states including Delhi, Punjab, Bihar

Apart from this, IMD has also predicted heavy rain at isolated places in 17 other states. In North India, light to heavy rain will continue in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh. Heavy rain is expected in East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Gujarat regions in Central and Western India. There will also be heavy rain in the states of Northeast India—Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Moderate to heavy rain may be recorded in coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Karnataka and Kerala of South India.

Warning of thunderstorm and lightning at a speed of 60 km/h.

Along with rain, the Meteorological Department has expressed the danger of strong storm winds (Thundersquall) and lightning in many states:

• Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha: Here, winds can blow at gale speed of 50 to 60 km per hour at different places.

• Andaman-Nicobar, West Bengal, Marathwada, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu: Gusty winds are expected here at a speed of 40 to 50 km/hour.

• Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana: There is a possibility of rain with lightning and winds of 30 to 40 km/hour.

There is a possibility of lightning in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, East Rajasthan, Gujarat and Vidarbha, hence people have been advised to avoid open spaces and going under trees.