IMD forecasts heavy rain across east, northeast India; Odisha on extreme rainfall alert

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday forecast enhanced rainfall activity over east and northeast India, east Uttar Pradesh and the western Himalayan region over the next seven days.

The weather office also warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Odisha on July 16.

According to the IMD, rainfall activity would remain subdued over west-central and south peninsular India during the next seven days, and over the plains of northwest India for the next three days.

The well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha-West Bengal coasts is likely to move northwestwards across north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal over the next two days.

Odisha is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places.

Isolated very heavy rainfall is also likely over the state on July 17.

The IMD has forecast widespread rainfall over Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next seven days, Bihar from July 17 to 21 and Odisha till July 18.

Heavy rainfall is also likely over Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next few days, with isolated very heavy rainfall expected over Bihar and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim between July 18 and 20.

In the northeast, widespread rainfall is expected over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the next seven days, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at isolated places.

The IMD said widespread rainfall activity is also expected over Uttarakhand through July 22, and over Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir from July 18 onwards.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast over parts of the western Himalayan region and east Uttar Pradesh during the period.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are likely over several parts of the country, including east and central India, northwest India and the northeast, over the coming days.

The weather office said a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from July 19, which could further enhance rainfall activity over the region.