Maharashtra Braces for Heavy Rainfall, IMD Issues Orange Alerts

Mumbai and several districts of Maharashtra are set to experience heavy rain over the coming days, according to the India Meteorological Department. Orange alerts have been issued, warning of potential disruptions. Low-pressure systems over West Bengal and the Arabian Sea are contributing to this weather pattern.

Mumbai and various other regions of Maharashtra are forecasted to experience heavy rainfall over the next four to five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Friday.

According to the Met office, an orange alert has been issued predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Konkan districts of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, and Ratnagiri starting August 24. Western Maharashtra districts Pune and Satara, along with Vidarbha's Amravati, Bhandara, Chandrapur, and Gondia, are also under orange alert for Saturday.

The orange alert signifies heavy rainfall exceeding 64.5 mm in 24 hours, potentially leading to disruptions in daily life and flooding in low-lying areas.

A yellow alert, indicating thunderstorms with lightning and light-to-moderate rainfall accompanied by gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph, has been issued for multiple districts on Saturday, except some in western Maharashtra and Marathwada. The IMD has also issued orange alerts for specific districts in Konkan and western Maharashtra for August 25 and 26.

IMD scientists attribute the expected rainfall to a low-pressure area over northern parts of West Bengal and northeast Jharkhand, as well as another low-pressure system over the east central Arabian Sea off the Maharashtra coast.

(With inputs from agencies.)