Monsoon revives: IMD issues heavy rain alert for 17 states, yellow alert in parts of Vidarbha

The whole of August and the first two weeks of September saw rainfall virtually disappear in Maharashtra, raising fears of drought in the state. But there is relief now, with the monsoon becoming active again. Several parts of the state and the country have seen heavy rain over the last two to three days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a high alert for heavy rain in 17 states of the country on September 25. Guidelines have also been issued for farmers and fishermen. The weather department has also said winds of around 85 kilometres per hour could blow during this period.

According to IMD, the storm will have the biggest impact on three states: Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Efforts to move people to safe locations in these states are underway on a war footing. The weather department has also warned of the possibility of landslides in some hilly areas. Eastern India is witnessing severe rainfall, so people there have been advised to step out of their homes only if necessary.

The 17 states for which a high alert has been issued for September 25 include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Maharashtra too is set for good rainfall in several places on September 25, with a yellow alert issued for some districts of the state. According to IMD, rain could intensify further in Marathwada and Vidarbha over the next 24 hours. In view of this, a yellow alert for rain has been issued for Yavatmal, Washim, Buldhana, Bhandara, Gondia, Nagpur, Akola and Chandrapur districts.