Authorities have issued a red alert for five states due to heavy rainfall, advising residents in Pune, Jharkhand, and West Bengal to take precautions as river water levels continue to rise. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that western Madhya Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan, Gujarat, the Konkan region, Goa, and central Maharashtra will experience “heavy to extremely heavy rainfall” in the coming days.
Monsoon’s Active Phase
IMD scientist Dr. Naresh Kumar explained the current weather conditions: “The monsoon is in its active phase. There is a deep depression in North East Madhya Pradesh and low pressure in southwest Rajasthan. We anticipate extremely heavy rainfall in western Madhya Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan, Gujarat, the Konkan region, Goa, and central Maharashtra, prompting a red alert. Meanwhile, no rain is expected in Delhi-NCR over the next two days.”
Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu are also expected to receive heavy rain soon. “When the monsoon trough returns to its usual position, light to moderate rainfall is expected in Delhi,” Kumar added.
Rising River Levels
In Pune, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, river water levels are rising due to incessant rainfall. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and advising residents to take necessary precautions. In Gujarat’s Valsad district, the National Defense Response Force (NDRF) rescued seven fishermen stranded in Hinglaj village following heavy rain and high tides in the Auranga River.
Precautions in Pune
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed authorities to remain vigilant due to significant water discharge from the Khadakwasla, Mulshi, Pavana, and other dams in the Pune region. He emphasized the importance of relocating residents from hazardous areas to safer locations with the support of the NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Army, if necessary. The irrigation department reported that 35,000 cusecs of water have been released from the Khadakwasla dam due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas over the past two weeks.
Weather Impact Across India
Heavy rains swept across western and central India on Sunday. At the same time, a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir forced the closure of the Srinagar-Leh national highway, severing the Kashmir Valley’s connection to Ladakh and rendering the Baltal base camp for the Amarnath Yatra inaccessible.
In Kerala’s Wayanad and Himachal Pradesh, recent landslides have resulted in tragic losses of life, with death tolls rising to 358 and 13, respectively. Additionally, more than 370 individuals, including pilgrims stranded along the rain-damaged trek route to Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath, have been successfully evacuated.
Alerts and Precautions
The Nashik district administration has urged residents to stay alert as the water level of the Godavari River rises due to heavy rains. An official reported that 4,000 cusecs of water were released from the Gangapur dam, leading to a spike in the river’s water level.
In Jharkhand, heavy rainfall has caused several rivers to swell, prompting the East Singhbhum district administration to issue an alert for residents in low-lying areas to ensure their safety.
All districts of West Bengal experienced widespread rain, with heavy showers reported in parts of Birbhum. The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released 1.2 lakh cusecs of water from the Panchet and Maithon dams along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border on Sunday morning, following a significant discharge from the upstream Tenughat dam. This comes after the release of 90,000 cusecs of water from the Panchet and Maithon dams on Saturday.
As the monsoon season progresses, authorities monitor the situation closely, urging residents in affected areas to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions.