Weather News Updates: Red Alert for 4 Kerala Districts as Heavy Rains Continue to Lash; Several Areas Waterlogged in Bengaluru

Weather News Updates: Incessant rains in Karnataka have caused waterlogging in various parts of Bengaluru. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded orange and red alerts (heavy to very heavy rainfall) in all districts of coastal Karnataka on Wednesday and Thursday. Two labourers were found dead at the Kaveri Pipeline work site in Bengaluru after heavy rains last night.

As floodwaters entered fresh areas of Assam, the number of affected people has doubled to over four lakh since the previous day, while three more persons died due to the calamity taking the toll to eight, a government bulletin said on Tuesday. Landslides triggered by incessant rain snapped rail and road links to Barak Valley and Dima Hasao district of Assam and neighbouring states of Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur. Landslides wreaked havoc in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, also snapping road connectivity in many areas.

Delhiites are expected to get relief from the scorching heat for the next few days as the IMD has predicted a fall in temperature for the next three to four days starting Monday. The maximum temperature on Sunday reached 49 degrees Celsius in many parts of the national capital as a tormenting heatwave swept through North India.

The IMD on Tuesday warned of a fresh heatwave which is likely to affect large parts of northwest and central India from Thursday onwards.

Here are the latest weather updates:

• As heavy rains continued to lash several parts of Kerala, the IMD today afternoon issued a red alert in four districts of the state for the day, indicating extremely heavy rainfall. The red alert was issued in the northern Kerala districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. Read More

• “For South interior Karnataka, widespread rains expected for next 2 days, followed by fairly widespread rains from day 3-5. Heavy to very heavy rain expected in coastal Karnataka for day 1(today); heavy to very heavy rain on May 19, followed by heavy rain on May 20,” Dr Geeta Agnihotri, Head of Meteorological Department in Karnataka, said.

• Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla today held an annual review meeting of relief Commissioners of all states over monsoon issues.

• Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, along with state cabinet ministers R Ashoka and Munirathna, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi and other officials, visited rain-affected areas near Hosakerehalli, south Bengaluru while he was on his way to Chikamagalur.

• Yesterday’s rainfall of 114.6 mm at Bengaluru city was the highest in 24 hour rainfall since August 15, 2017 when the city received 128.7 mm in 24 hours, the IMD said. The observatory has received a rainfall of 253.9 mm for the month making it the wettest May in at least 10 years.

• In Assam’s Hojai district, 80 villages are reported to be flooded. The state disaster management authorities are involved in rescue operations from the area.

• Incessant rains in Bengaluru triggered waterlogging in several parts of the city.

• An official in Agartala told PTI that the Tripura government is readying a contingency plan for supply of essential items by road from Assam as restoration of railway network affected by landslides in the neighbouring state will take at least two months. As of now, Tripura has “no shortage” of essential items and fuel but if the suspension of train services continues for a long time, it will impact the normal supply to the state, food and civil supplies department additional secretary Tapan Kumar Das said.

• The Air Force has been asked to airdrop most essential supplies to Dima Hasao from Wednesday, as per an official statement on the decision of a high-level meeting.

• Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Minister takes stock of NH-7 road blocked after heavy rains.

• In Punjab, Bathinda sizzled at 43.4 degrees Celsius and Amritsar recorded a high of 40.8 degrees Celsius. The mercury settled at a high of 40.7 degrees Celsius in Ludhiana and at 39.6 degrees Celsius in Patiala.

• The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, Guwahati, has issued a warning for very heavy rainfall in Assam till Wednesday, and widespread rain across the state for the next five days.

• Assam death toll has increased to eight, including five killed in landslides.

Roads from Itanagar to Gohpur in Assam and to Ziro in Lower Subansiri district via Potin were blocked due to mud slips. Landslides were also reported from Karsingsa block point along the Itanagar-Banderdewa NH-415, Itanagar Gompa and RWD Colony here, officials said.

(with inputs from PTI)

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