Eight states and two union territories are under a flash flood alert after the IMD warned of very heavy rainfall over the coming days.
The alert covers Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Chhattisgarh is bracing for the heaviest rain, with isolated areas expected to see more than 204.5mm and districts including Gaurela, Pendra, Marwahi, Balrampur and Surguja under an extremely heavy rain warning.
In Odisha, northern districts such as Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Sambalpur face flash flood risk, with strong winds of 40-50 kmph also forecast along the coast.
The alert runs through September 2 in most regions, while Uttarakhand’s warning extends the furthest, through September 8.
Authorities in the affected districts have been advised to remain on alert, particularly in areas prone to landslides or where rivers and streams could rise rapidly during the heaviest spells.
The current alert spans a wide geographic band from the Himalayan foothills in the north to Chhattisgarh and Odisha in central and eastern India, reflecting an active monsoon system moving across the country.
In Chhattisgarh, isolated areas are forecast to receive rainfall exceeding 204.5mm, with high-risk districts including Gaurela, Pendra, Marwahi, Balrampur, Surguja and nine others facing extremely heavy rain.
Northeast India could see 115.6mm to 204.4mm of rainfall in isolated pockets, while northern Odisha is forecast to receive widespread heavy rainfall through the alert period.
In northern Odisha, districts including Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Sambalpur have been flagged for flash flood risk, alongside strong winds of 40-50 kmph expected in coastal areas.
The IMD said the alert period varies by region, with some warnings running through September 2 and others extending as far as September 7 depending on local conditions.
Uttarakhand is separately forecast to see very heavy rainfall through September 8, one of the longer alert windows among the affected states.
NASA Earth Observatory, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 (representative monsoon rainfall image)
