Parts of central and adjoining west India, particularly the States of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, are likely to have some intense rainfall activity for the next two-three days. The India Meteorology Department (IMD) on Saturday said rainfall intensity along the west coast is expected to decrease over the next 24 hours, in a much needed relief to rain-battered Maharashtra and Goa. Rainfall activity will increase over the north Indian plains and hills from July 25, it said.
Having already drenched Chhattisgarh, Telangana, east Madhya Pradesh and central Maharashtra, the system has now shifted its focus on to the western half of Madhya Pradesh. The IMD has indicated that the system will produce isolated extremely heavy falls over west Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, July 24.
Therefore, a red warning has been issued over the subdivision for the day, as it instructs the residents to ‘take action’ to protect themselves from rough weather. Meanwhile, since the beginning of the monsoon period on June 1, both Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have received below-average rainfall.
“Further reduction in rainfall intensity is very likely along the west coast, including Konkan, Goa and adjoining interior Maharashtra, during the next 24 hours,” the IMD said. “Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls (are) very likely to continue over west coast, including Maharashtra, on July 24 and isolated heavy falls thereafter,” it said. Extremely heavy rains have killed scores of people in Maharashtra over the past few days, submerging several areas and damaging property.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has enhanced the number of its teams from 26 to 34 for undertaking rescue operations in the coastal areas of Maharashtra that have been hit by landslides and floods triggered by heavy rainfall.
A spokesperson for the federal contingency force said these teams are being deployed in affected areas of Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Pune and Nagpur for rescue and relief work after consultation with the state administration.
“In view of the severity of the situation, additional eight NDRF teams have been airlifted from Kolkata and Vadodara base which are being deployed in affected areas of Maharashtra,” the spokesperson said. “This will take the total NDRF deployment to 34 teams,” the spokesperson said.
The IMD said scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely to continue over Gujarat till July and reduce thereafter. Widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely to continue over east Rajasthan till July 26 and reduce thereafter.
In north India, rainfall activity is likely to increase over northwest India from July 25. “Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls (are) likely over Uttarakhand during July 25-28; Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh during July 26-28, and Punjab and east Uttar Pradesh on July 27 and 28,” the IMD said.
Isolated extremely heavy falls are also likely over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on July 27 and 28, it added.