IMD issues alert for heavy rainfall, thunderstorms across multiple regions

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for widespread rainfall and thunderstorms across several regions in India on Sunday.

Recent satellite imagery indicates the presence of convective clouds, signalling the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many locations.

Intense spells of rain, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty winds, are expected in Punjab and adjoining Himachal Pradesh, southwest and adjoining extreme northwest Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and adjoining extreme north Chhattisgarh, southeast Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, south Gujarat, south Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, south Karnataka, north Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Meghalaya, as per the IMD.

In addition to these areas, light to moderate rainfall is anticipated at a few places, with isolated thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty winds likely to affect Odisha, Konkan, Goa, south Madhya Maharashtra, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Lakshadweep, and the Nicobar Islands.

Earlier this week, the national capital received highest rainfall in 88 years.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Delhi experienced 228 mm of rainfall from 8:30 am on Thursday, June 27, to 8:30 am on Friday, June 28. This is the highest 24-hour rainfall in June that the national capital has seen since 1936 when 235.5 mm was recorded.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Soma Sen on Saturday said that heavy rainfall is expected in Delhi over the next two days.

"Rain is expected to increase in the coming days in North India. Monsoon has advanced more in Eastern UP, and in the next 2-3 days, Western UP and Haryana will also be covered. An orange alert has been issued for UP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and East Rajasthan. Heavy rain will be witnessed in the entire central India. Warnings have been issued for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for extremely heavy rainfall. Rainfall will increase in the West Peninsular region by tomorrow. North Indian states will also witness extremely heavy rainfall. We have declared heavy rainfall in Delhi over the next two days," Sen said.