Weather Update: IMD issues orange alert for east Rajasthan, central India; warns of heavy rains in landslide-hit Wayanad

The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday issued an 'orange' alert—warning of very heavy rainfall— for parts of east Rajasthan, north and central India on Wednesday and Thursday due to cyclonic circulations in the Bay of Bengal and Gangetic West Bengal, northeast Rajasthan and near Gujarat.

The IMD also warned of heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala's ecologically fragile Wayanad district on Wednesday, where landslides triggered by heavy rain killed nearly 230 people last month.

“Due to cyclonic circulations in Bay of Bengal and Gangetic West Bengal, northeast Rajasthan and near Gujarat, very heavy rain is expected in east Rajasthan, north and central India expected to receive heavy rain - Yellow alert issued....Tomorrow, heavy rain will continue in the plains of north & central India. From 16th Aug, heavy rain is predicted in Odisha," IMD scientist Soma Sen told ANI.

IMD forecast for Northwest India

The IMD in its daily weather bulletin warned of fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand; scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Jammu-Kashmir, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during the next 4-5 days.

IMD forecast for West and Central India

The weather agency also predicted fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Konkan, Goa and Gujarat Region; scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Vidarbha, Saurashtra & Kutch; isolated to scattered rainfall over Madhya Maharashtra & Marathwada during the week.

IMD forecast forEast and Northeast India

The metrological agency predicted widespread light to moderate rainfall very over east India and scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over northeast during the week.

IMD forecast for South Peninsular India

The weather office said fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall are very likely over Kerala and Mahe, Lakshadweep and South Interior Karnataka; scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema, Telangana and Coastal & North Interior Karnataka during the week.

Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Wednesday (August 14); South Interior Karnataka on August 16 and 17; Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during August 14-August 18; Kerala & Mahe from August 16- August 18 and Lakshadweep during August 15 – August 18.

IMD forecast for Kerala Wayanad

The weather department predicted heavy rainfall (7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rainfall (12 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours) in one or two places in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kannur on Wednesday and in Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday.

The weather office also warned of low to moderate flash flood risk likely over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Kerala, Mahe and coastal Karnataka on August 14 and 15.

A 'red' alert was issued for Lakshadweep, warning of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm in 24 hours) at isolated places on Wednesday.