The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for western Madhya Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan, Gujarat, the Konkan region, Goa, and central Maharashtra, predicting “heavy to extremely heavy rainfall” over the coming days. This severe weather warning comes as river water levels continue to rise in Pune, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, prompting authorities to closely monitor the situation and advise residents to exercise caution.
IMD scientist Dr. Naresh Kumar explained that the monsoon is currently in its active phase, with a deep depression over North East Madhya Pradesh and low pressure in southwest Rajasthan contributing to the anticipated heavy rainfall. “We expect extremely heavy rainfall in the affected regions, and we have issued a red alert accordingly. Delhi-NCR will remain dry for the next two days,” Dr. Kumar added. He also mentioned that Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu are likely to experience heavy rain in the coming days.
On Monday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued seven individuals stranded in Hinglaj village in Gujarat’s Valsad district due to the heavy rains and high tide in the Auranga river. The stranded individuals were fishermen who had been cut off by the rising waters.
In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed authorities to stay vigilant following significant water discharge from the Khadakwasla, Mulshi, Pavana, and other dams in the Pune region. Over 35,000 cusecs of water have been released from the Khadakwasla dam in response to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas over the past two weeks. The intense rainfall has particularly affected the ghat section of Pune district. Army personnel have been deployed to assist in areas inundated by the rain, and efforts are underway to relocate residents from hazardous locations.
The situation has been compounded by heavy rains in western and central India, and a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir has led to the closure of the vital Srinagar-Leh national highway. This disruption has isolated the Kashmir Valley from Ladakh and rendered the Baltal base camp for the Amarnath Yatra inaccessible.
In Kerala’s Wayanad district and Himachal Pradesh, landslides have resulted in significant loss of life, with 358 and 13 fatalities reported, respectively. Additionally, over 370 individuals stranded along the rain-damaged trek route to Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath have been evacuated successfully.
The rising water levels of the Godavari River, prompted by heavy rains, have led the Nashik district administration to issue a warning. Approximately 4,000 cusecs of water were released from the Gangapur dam, contributing to the increased water levels.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the cloudburst in the Ganderbal district has caused extensive damage to buildings and closed the Srinagar-Leh national highway, isolating the Kashmir Valley from Ladakh. The Baltal base camp for the Amarnath Yatra remains inaccessible due to the severe weather.
In Jharkhand, heavy rainfall has led to swollen rivers, prompting the East Singhbhum district administration to issue an alert for residents in low-lying areas. Similarly, West Bengal has experienced widespread rain, with heavy showers reported in Birbhum. The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released 1.2 lakh cusecs of water from the Panchet and Maithon dams on Sunday morning, following a significant discharge from the Tenughat dam upstream. This follows the release of 90,000 cusecs of water from the Panchet and Maithon dams on Saturday.
