Low Pressure Areas Likely To Trigger Heavy Rains In Gujarat And West Bengal; IMD Issues Red Alert!

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued an alert for heavy rains due to the formation of two low-pressure areas: one over south Gujarat and the other over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal.

These systems are expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall, along with severe thunderstorms and lightning in the affected regions over the next 24 hours, the IMD said. The low-pressure areas are expected to trigger heavy rainfall in Saurashtra, Kutch and other parts of Gujarat, as well as Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand.

According to the weather agency, extremely heavy rainfall is particularly likely over Saurashtra and Kutch in the next 24 hours.

As per IMD’s warning, parts of the western state will likely receive more than 20 cm of “extremely” heavy rain over 24 hours on Tuesday. The weather forecaster has issued a red alert for Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Porbandar, Junagadh and a few other districts for the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Surat, Daman, Patan, Kheda, Tapi, are on an orange alert in view of the anticipated “heavy to very heavy” rainfall. Other districts are on a yellow alert during the next 24 hours.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for most of the Gujarat districts till June 19.

As per the IMD weather bulletin issued on Tuesday afternoon, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (40–50 kmph) is likely in Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhan, and Odisha from June 17 to 21, with thunder squalls over Madhya Pradesh. Till June 18, similar weather is expected in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

“Isolated heavy rainfall also likely over West Bengal and Sikkim during June 17 to 19; Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh during June 17 to 21, with very heavy rainfall over east Madhya Pradesh on June 20 and 21. Similar weather will prevail over Chhattisgarh from June 17 to 20 and Bihar on June 18 and 19,” the IMD said.