Monsoon tracker: IMD issues red alert for heavy showers in Delhi, Rajasthan, 5 other states; rain deficit narrows

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in several states including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

A trough from Rajasthan to the Northeast and an active monsoon over northern West Bengal are likely to bring heavy rainfall in these states.

On Thursday, the weather department had said that heavy rainfall will continue over northwest and east India in the next 4-5 days.

Delhi on Friday witnessed an overcast sky and moderate rainfall.

The IMD had forecast very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall from July 3 to July 6 in Uttarakhand and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 7.

Rajasthan continues to see heavy rainfall, with Malpura in Tonk district recording 176 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, the meteorological department said on Friday.

Several parts of the state recorded moderate to heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours.

For West Bengal, the Met Department has predicted more rains till July 9 in northern part of the state.

Heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain in one or two places is likely in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Coochbehar till July 9.

Water levels of rivers such as Teesta, Jaldhaka, Sankosh and Torsa may rise owing to heavy rain, said the IMD.

In Himachal Pradesh, heavy rains continue lashed several parts of the state on Friday.

The Shimla meteorological office has issued a ‘yellow’ alert, warning of heavy rains, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on Saturday.

In the past 24 hours, widespread rain occurred in the state.

According to IMD data, heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India over the past few days has brought down the overall monsoon precipitation deficit in the country from 11 per cent on June 30 to just 3 per cent on Thursday.

After making an early onset over Kerala and the northeastern region on May 30, and progressing normally up to Maharashtra, the monsoon lost momentum, extending the wait for rains in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and worsening the impact of a scorching heatwave in northwest India.