IMD issues red, orange alerts for thunderstorms, heavy rain across several states
New Delhi, Aug 4
The India Meteorological Department has issued district-wise nowcast warnings for several states on Tuesday, cautioning residents about thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and gusty winds over the next two to three hours.
A Red warning, indicating severe weather conditions requiring immediate action, has been issued for Patiala district in Punjab. The IMD has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds reaching around 60 kmph, and heavy rainfall exceeding 15 mm per hour, urging residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
An Orange Warning has been issued for several districts across multiple states, where thunderstorms, lightning, winds of 40-60 kmph, and moderate to heavy rainfall (5-15 mm per hour or more) are very likely.
In Punjab, the warning covers Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Sangrur and SAS Nagar. In Uttar Pradesh, the affected districts include Amethi, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Fatehpur, Hardoi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, Raebareli and Unnao.
The alert also extends to Kasaragod in Kerala; Dakshin Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi in Karnataka; Bhind, Datia, Gwalior, Morena, Sheopur Kalan and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh; Jiribam, Kamjong, Noney, Senapati and Tamenglong in Manipur; Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal; Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon and Wokha in Nagaland; Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli and Sivasagar in Assam; Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Kaithal and Kurukshetra in Haryana; and Bageshwar, Dehradun, Pithoragarh, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand.
The IMD has advised residents in all affected districts to remain vigilant and follow safety precautions. People have been urged to avoid taking shelter under trees or weak structures during thunderstorms, monitor road and traffic conditions before travelling, stay away from flood- and landslide-prone areas, and strictly follow advisories issued by local authorities and disaster management agencies.
The weather department said updated forecasts, including yellow warnings and district-wise nowcast information, are available on the IMD's official weather portal. Authorities are closely monitoring the evolving weather situation, and residents are encouraged to stay informed through official channels.
— IANS
Reader Comments
IMD is doing a great job with these district-wise alerts. At least now we get timely warnings instead of being caught off guard. Families in these areas should definitely stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel as advised.
Living in Kanpur, these warnings are crucial. The intensity of rains these days is unpredictable. Government should also ensure that drainage systems are cleaned before monsoon season to prevent waterlogging in residential areas.
Good to see IMD being proactive with nowcast alerts. The 3-hour window is really helpful for daily planning. But people still need to be cautious - I saw people taking selfies near waterlogged areas during the last heavy rain in Gurugram. Safety first, folks!
It's concerning that so many districts across multiple states are affected. The weather pattern is clearly changing. India needs better infrastructure to handle these extreme weather events, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where flooding is common.
Stay safe everyone! 🙏 Living in Bengaluru I know how sudden these rains can be. One moment it's sunny, next moment you're stuck in traffic for hours. The warning for Dakshin Kannada and Udupi is particularly important - those areas get severe flooding.
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