Heavy rains in Bengal, Assam; heatwave in Delhi, Punjab till 18th

SIKKIM, Assam, Meghalaya and parts of West Bengal are likely to receive very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls during the next 4–5 days, said the India Meteorological Department on Sunday.

The weather department has issued a red alert for Assam and Meghalaya between June 16 and 20.

Whereas, a red alert has been issued for Arunachal Pradesh for June 17 and 18.

The IMD said that Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to receive heavy rains from June 16 to 18.

Assam & Meghalaya are likely to receive isolated exceptionally heavy rainfall on June 18.

"Widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next 5 days," said IMD in a release.

Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are very likely over Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha during the next 3 days and likely to increase thereafter.

Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Odisha on June 20 2024.

Heatwave alert

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and some parts of Bihar & Jharkhand till June 18 and gradually abate thereafter, said IMD.

According to the weather department, there won't be a significant change in maximum temperatures during the next 3 days. The temperature is expected to fall by 2-3°C thereafter.

The IMD said that heavy rainfall would cause localized flooding of roads, water logging in low-lying areas and closure of underpasses mainly in urban

While minor damage could be caused to unpaved roads, there are possibilities of damage to vulnerable structures.

The heavy rains could also damage horticulture and standing crops in some areas due to inundation.