Weather today: IMD issues red alert for heavy rains in Uttarakhand; orange warning in Maharashtra and 3 other states

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for heavy showers in Uttarakhand today, July 7. Amid the red alert, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami instructed the District Magistrates of all the concerned districts to remain vigilant. IMD's forecast predicts heavy to very heavy rainfall in nine districts of the state.

The CM also instructed Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Vinod Kumar Suman, along with other officials of the Disaster Management Department, to maintain vigilant oversight over all districts from the State Emergency Operations Center of USDMA.

Moreover, the Char Dham Yatra has been postponed for July 7 in the wake of heavy rainfall prediction over Garhwal division, reported ANI. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey issued orders decreeing restriction of vehicular movement on the Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district in view of falling and piling up of debris at five places in Chamoli district.

Chamoli Police, Uttarakhand, in a post on X stated, "The Badrinath National Highway has been blocked due to debris near Bhanerpani, old Nagar Panchayat Pipalkoti, Kanchen Ganga, Chhinka Paagalnala and Helang in Chamoli district."

Besides a red alert in Uttarakhand, the meteorological department issued an orange warning hinting at the possibility of heavy rains in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.

On Saturday, IMD Scientist Ramashray Yadav said, “The weather forecast for Gujarat covers all the districts. In the upcoming seven days, there will be light to moderate rain in the state,” reported ANI.

The weather agency forecasted widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in East and Northeast India until July 11. Heavy showers are expected to lash over Kerala until July 9.

IMD's press release dated July 6 predicted possibility of “isolated heavy rainfall" in Goa until July 10, in Maharashtra and Karnataka over the next three days, in Andhra Pradesh on July 7 and in Telangana over the next two days.

Notably, heavy rainfall in the first week of July over large parts of India has made up for the 11 percent deficit in June, pushing the total monsoon precipitation into surplus category, reported PTI.