IMD issues orange alert for Rajasthan, J&K; yellow alert for several north Indian states including UP, Uttarkhand

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir, and a yellow alert for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for Tuesday with a warning of heavy rains. Red alert has been issued for Konkan and Goa, and central Maharashtra, while an orange alert warning has been issued for Gujarat, parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam, it said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has four colour-coded warnings based on the intensity of an extreme weather event and issues them in the ascending order of green, yellow, orange and red. The IMD said that a yellow alert has been also issued for Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, parts of West Bengal and Kerala. After the revival of the southwest Monsoon, on Sunday, several parts of the country have been experiencing heavy rains while some witnessed thunderstorms and lighting. The IMD said heavy to very heavy rains are expected at isolated places over Konkan and Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya on Tuesday. Heavy rains are also expected over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Kerala and Mahe on Tuesday, the IMD said. Isolated places over Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, coast Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema and Yanam, and Telangana could witness thunderstorm and lighting, it added. On Sunday, a flash flood triggered by heavy rains swept away buildings and cars at tourist spots as bad weather also led to the closure of the airport in Himachal Pradesh. At least 18 people died in Rajasthan and 10 in Uttar Pradesh, according to reports received on Sunday night, and the toll could go higher. Six people were also killed due to lightning in Madhya Pradesh.