The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a nationwide alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, lightning, and thunderstorms with gusty winds over the next two to three days, as a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal threatens to deepen into a depression.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in a statement, "The well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal concentrated into a depression at 5:30am IST on May 29. It lay centred about 100 km south-southeast of Sagar Island, off the West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coasts. The system is expected to move nearly northwards and intensify further into a deep depression."
Following the forecast, schools were closed in Mizoram on Thursday, while parts of Karnataka also suspended educational activities. In Goa, a scheduled public meeting by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was cancelled due to the persistent inclement weather.
Schools shut in Mizoram
The Mizoram School Education Department announced the closure of all schools on Thursday, citing the IMD’s warnings in conjunction with advisories from the state disaster management and rehabilitation department.
The official directive stated the move was a precautionary measure to avert any potential mishaps arising from the heavy downpour, gusty winds and thunderstorms.
Torrential rain in Assam
The IMD also warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Assam, particularly in the state’s western and southern districts. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, “a low-pressure area lying over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast is likely to move northwards and concentrate into a depression over the North Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours.”
It added that heavy to extremely heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds were expected in several districts.
Also read: Storm brewing in Bay of Bengal, rain alert issued for WB
Kharge’s Goa meeting postponed
A public meeting by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, scheduled to mark Goa Statehood Day on May 30, has been cancelled due to the inclement weather. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee senior vice president M K Sheikh informed, “We wanted to organise a huge meeting of our president Mallikarjun Kharge, but due to rains, we won't be able to hold it. We will hold the meeting after the monsoon.” Goa has received consistent torrential rains for the past four days following the early onset of monsoon.
Monsoon arrives early in Odisha
The IMD confirmed that the southwest monsoon arrived in parts of Odisha on Wednesday, nearly 13 days ahead of the usual onset. In its bulletin, the department said, “Southwest Monsoon has set in over Odisha, today. It covered entire Malkangiri & Koraput districts and some other districts of Odisha.”
The state has already recorded 50 per cent above-normal rainfall during the pre-monsoon period between March and May. The IMD had earlier issued an ‘Orange’ alert for five districts warning of thunderstorms and gusty winds likely to persist till 30 May.
Karnataka braces for further rain
In Karnataka, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada. Winds reaching 40-50 kmph are expected to accompany the rain on 30 May. Rainfall with slightly reduced wind speeds of 30-40 kmph is also expected in the same districts on 31 May and 1 June.
In Kodagu district, heavy downpours have already forced authorities to declare a two-day holiday for educational institutions. The district administration has shut down Anganwadi centres, primary and high schools, and pre-university colleges for Thursday and Friday. The decision, according to district collector Venkat Raja, was taken as a precautionary measure in view of the ongoing storms.
Follow us
