IMD issues heavy rain alert as Maharashtra, Goa continue to experience extreme weather

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) has sounded an alert for extremely heavy to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and the Konkan-Goa region, media reports said, as rains continued to lash the Mumbai metropolitan region for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday. Heavy rain is also expected in Odisha and neighbouring areas, raising the possibility of floods, as a depression was set to hit the state on Tuesday night, The Times of India reported. [caption id=“attachment_3823327” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] IMD’s warning bulletin showed the Konkan and Goa region in “red” for 18 July and central Maharashtra in “orange” for 18 and 19 July, according to the report, indicating the intensity of predicted rainfall. IMD Santacruz and Colaba stations recording a three digit rainfall in last 24-hours. “The Santacruz station of Mumbai IMD recorded 163 mm of rainfall, while Colaba registered 107 mm of showers in last 24-hours,” IMD-Mumbai, director, Sunil Kamble told PTI.  IMD-Pune has warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places in Konkan, Marathwada, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha. “The rainfall is of good intensity in last four days compared to that since 1 June. The coastal Konkan region is having more showers in last four days as well. Compared to it, the rainfall in central parts of Maharashtra is still on lower side,” Kamble said. The Konkan and Goa region includes Alibaug, Bhira, Dahanu, Goa (Panjim), Harnai, Mumbai and Ratnagiri. The neighbouring areas of Mumbai such as Alibaug received 173 mm of rainfall, followed by Bhira getting 169 mm. The other parts such as Mahabaleshwar in Satara received 149 mm rains, while Ratnagiri received 130 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Madhavan Rajeevan, secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, tweeted about the “chance of floods”. He said, “Widespread rains with heavy spells are expected in next 8-10 days over central and northwest India.”

Monsoon in active phase. Wide spread rains with heavy spells expected next 8-10 days over central and NW India, chance of floods. pic.twitter.com/t98gBaZmPC

— Madhavan Rajeevan (@rajeevan61) July 18, 2017

The forecast issued by the IMD on Monday afternoon said the rainfall would be “fairly widespread to widespread” over central Maharashtra — the food-grain cultivating area till Wednesday. Marathwada region will have widespread rainfall till Wednesday, while Konkan region will have heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, it said. According to data released by IMD, New Delhi the rainfall received across Maharashtra from 1 June to 17 July is “normal”, though actual precipitation is 381.1 mm as against the normal of 387.2 mm. With inputs from agencies