The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued flood warning to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal due to possibility of heavy rainfall in the foothills of Himalayas during the next four days. This is due to a low pressure area formed over west central Bay of Bengal and neighbouring areas causing rains along the Himalayan foothills .
However, notwithstanding the flood forecast, rain deficit will increase further from the present 10% of normal rains in the following days.
According to officials of IMD, a low pressure area lies over southeast Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas of Chhattisgarh. Further, a western disturbance exists in the upper atmosphere near Gujarat.
This will bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in the foothills of Himalayas. The rainfall will also lead to swelling of rivers Kosi, Gandak and Ghaghara, tributaries of Ganga besides the tributaries of Brahmaputra. Yamuna has already crossed the danger mark of 204 meters in Delhi.
According to IMD experts, this will possibly lead to flooding of plains in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and sub-Himalayan parts of West Bengal. According to sources, a high-level meeting has also been convened by the National Disaster Management Authority. The respective States that are likely to be affected have been asked to be in touch with the concerned agencies in centre case of exigency.
The IMD has also predicted average rainfall over central and northwest India during next 3-4 days. In the days to come, rainfall would increase considerably in Peninsula India besides in the North Eastern States. The North Eastern region last week had the highest rainfall deficit of 45 % of normal.
Meanwhile, the experts have projected that rain deficit is expected to rise further to 12% or even more by monsoon end. There is also a prediction of major deficiency in some pockets of the country. Even though Bihar and eastern UP would receive heavy rains in the next four days, the dry spell is expected to continue after that.
As per IMD data, some of the worst hit areas include parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh sand Telengana. While there is 48% rainfall deficiency in Marathwada in Maharasthra, 45% in north interior parts of Karnataka, 36% shortage in eastern UP and in Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh, 33% in central Maharasthra and 23% in Telangana.