IMD issues thunderstorm, lightening warning for north, NE India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning saying that several parts in north and northeast India may witness thunderstorm, hail and lightening Wednesday.

The Met department has also issued an amber-coloured warning for parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Bihar. An amber colour warning indicates that authorities have to remain alert for any weather-related exigency.

Several parts of north and central India have been witnessing thunderstorms, dust storms, lightning and heavy rains since Sunday.

On Tuesday, unseasonal rains, dust storm and lightning hit several parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, leaving 35 people dead and many others injured, officials said Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh reported 15 casualties in rain-related incidents, while 10 each were killed in Gujarat and Rajasthan in the overnight rains.

"Thundersquall (wind speed reaching 60-70 kilometres per hour) accompanied with hail and lightning at isolated places are very likely over Uttrakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal," the IMD said Wednesday.

Isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are "very likely" to witness thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kilometres per hour, the IMD said.

The Met department has attributed the thunderstorm and lightening due to a western disturbance.