The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued district-wise nowcast warnings for several states, forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and gusty winds over the next two to three hours.
A Red Alert, indicating severe weather conditions requiring immediate action, has been issued for Patiala district in Punjab. The IMD forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds of up to 60 kmph and heavy rainfall exceeding 15 mm per hour. Residents have been advised to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
An Orange Alert has also been issued for several districts across multiple states, where thunderstorms with lightning, wind speeds of 40-60 kmph and moderate to heavy rainfall of 5-15 mm per hour or more are very likely.
In Punjab, the alert covers Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Sangrur and SAS Nagar. In Uttar Pradesh, warnings have been issued for Amethi, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Fatehpur, Hardoi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, Raebareli and Unnao.
The Orange Alert also extends to Kasaragod in Kerala; Dakshin Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi in Karnataka; Bhind, Datia, Gwalior, Morena, Sheopur Kalan and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh; Jiribam, Kamjong, Noney, Senapati and Tamenglong in Manipur; Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal; Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon and Wokha in Nagaland; Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli and Sivasagar in Assam; Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Kaithal and Kurukshetra in Haryana; and Bageshwar, Dehradun, Pithoragarh, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand.
The weather department advised residents in the affected districts to remain vigilant and follow safety precautions. People have been urged to avoid taking shelter under trees or weak structures during thunderstorms, monitor road and traffic conditions before travelling, stay away from flood- and landslide-prone areas, and comply with advisories issued by local authorities and disaster management agencies.
The IMD said updated forecasts, including Yellow Alerts and district-wise nowcast warnings, are available on its official weather portal. Authorities are closely monitoring the evolving weather situation, and residents have been advised to stay informed through official channels.
(With inputs from IANS)
