IMD predicts heavy rainfall for Mumbai, parts of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand today

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall over Mumbai, Konkan region, Goa, and Gujarat on Sunday. The weather forecasting agency also predicted heavy downpour over Madhya Maharashtra and East Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Rajasthan later in the day. Mumbai is likely to experience “heavy to very heavy” rainfall, including “extremely heavy” rain in isolated places on Sunday. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it was prepared for the monsoon onslaught and asked citizens to be careful. [caption id=“attachment_6878251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] “BMC has alerted its citizens about the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall tomorrow accompanied by lightning during the day. The civic machinery, including the Disaster Management Cell, has been put on alert,” a civic body spokesperson was quoted as saying by PTI on Saturday. He said, wherever required, ward officials have been asked to visit areas in their jurisdiction to monitor the situation on the ground. “We appeal to citizens to be careful and avoid venturing into the sea, and not to open manholes,” he added. On Saturday, heavy rains in the city also resulted in the cancellation of 11 flights and the diversion of nine incoming aircraft to nearby airports. “As many as 11 flights of various airlines were cancelled for Saturday. These included seven departures and four arrivals,” the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) official was quoted as saying. “In addition to this, nine flights which were scheduled to arrive in Mumbai have been diverted to other nearby airports due to rains and other issues,” he said. The IMD has also predicted ‘heavy to very heavy rainfall’ along with thunderstorms in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and several other states. “Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over western Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and western Rajasthan and heavy rainfall at isolated places over Coastal Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Telangana, Marathawada, Saurashtra and Kutch, Vidarbha, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal,” the IMD said. Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning is also very likely at isolated places over Jharkhand. Strong winds, speed reaching 40-50 kilometres per hour, are likely to prevail over west-central and adjoining southwest Arabian Sea, North Arabian Sea and west-central Bay of Bengal. Rough to very rough sea conditions are very likely to prevail along and off Gujarat-Maharashtra coasts. The organisation has also advised fishermen not to venture into these areas for the next few days. With inputs from agencies