Karnataka Rain Alert: IMD Issues Red Alert For State As Several Regions Stare At Floods

The weather department has issued 'orange alert' for very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Assam and Meghalaya on Saturday.

Dakshina Kannada administration in Karnataka has asked fishermen to refrain from venturing into sea on Saturday (Image: PTI)

Source : PTI

Predicting extremely heavy showers in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi districts, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'red alert' for costal Karnataka on July 6 and 7. In response to the forecast, the Dakshina Kannada administration have ordered the closure of anganwadis, schools, and pre-university colleges in the district on Saturday. 

“All Anganwadis, schools, and pre-university colleges on July 6, in response to a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for heavy rainfall in the district,” news agency ANI reported quoted Mullai Muhilan, Kannada District Deputy Commissioner, as saying.

The administration also directed fishermen to refrain from going to sea for fishing activities on Saturday. “The district administration has taken precautionary measures to ensure public safety, advising citizens and tourists to avoid low-lying areas, river banks, and seashores. Fishermen have also been instructed not to venture into the sea for fishing activities,” the Dy Commissioner said further. 

Several residential areas of Mangaluru and Udupi are already facing a flood-like situation due to continuous rainfall.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Flood-like situation in residential areas of Aydar in Mangaluru due to continuous rainfall. pic.twitter.com/hWI4RETAmQ

— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2024

Recently, the Karnataka government has identified 1,763 villages as “flood-prone” and accordingly taken steps to manage any possible flood situation this monsoon by constituting task forces for faster response in the event of waterlogging to prevent loss of lives and minimise damage to properties, according to a report by The Hindu.

VIDEO | Houses submerged as incessant rainfall leads to flood-like situation in Karnataka's Udupi district. pic.twitter.com/79agw93s4W

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 4, 2024

Meanwhile, the weather department has also issued 'orange alert' for very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya on Saturday. 

The orange alert signifies a preparedness advisory for authorities due to the potential for heavy rainfall exceeding 115.6 mm and up to 204.4 mm within 24 hours, while the red alert is the most urgent form of alert, signaling rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm within 24 hours.

IMD Weather Forecast For Next 5 Days 

• As per IMD, fairly widespread to widespread, light to moderate rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning very likely over Northwest and Central India during next five days.
• "Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh on July 6, in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh during July 6 to 9, in Punjab, West Madhya Pradesh on July 7; in Vidarbha on July 8 and 9, and in Chhattisgarh during July 7 to 9," according to agency's latest forecast. 
• It also predicted isolated very heavy showers over Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh on July 6 and 7, in Punjab, West Uttar Pradesh and West Madhya Pradesh on July 6. 
• For east and northeast India, the IMD forecast said fairly widespread to widespread, light to moderate rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning is very during next five days.
• "Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar during July 7 to 9, in Jharkhand on July 7, in Odisha on July 6 and 8, and in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during July 6 to 9," the forecast said. 
• As per IMD, isolated very heavy showers are expected over Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim on July 6, in Odisha on July 7 and in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya during July 6 to 9.
• In its forecast for southern and western India, the weather agency said that fairly widespread to widespread, light to moderate rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning is very likely over Kerala, Lakshadweep, Coastal Karnataka, Konkan and Goa and Gujarat State during the next five days. 
• In Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Interior Karnataka, scattered to fairly widespread, light to moderate rainfall is predicted for next five days while in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Telangana, isolated to scattered, light to moderate showers are likely during this period. 
• "Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Gujarat Region on July 6, in Kerala and Coastal Andhra Pradesh during July 6 to 8, in Telangana on July 8 and 9, in Coastal and South Interior Karnataka during July 7 to 9 and in North Interior Karnataka on July 8," the forecast said. 
• Further, isolated very heavy rainfall is also predicted over Goa, Coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka on July 6, in and  Madhya Maharashtra on July 6 and 7.
• IMD said isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Coastal Karnataka on July 6.