New Delhi/Gandhinagar, July 6 (IANS) The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the Gujarat government and other concerned states to closely monitor the evolving weather situation after a depression over north interior Odisha and adjoining south Jharkhand intensified the risk of widespread heavy rainfall across central and western India.
In an advisory issued by the Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER) at 1 a.m. on Monday, the MHA said the depression, which had moved northwestwards at about 13 kmph over the previous six hours, was centred over north interior Odisha and adjoining south Jharkhand at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday.
It was located near latitude 22.1 degrees N and longitude 86.0 degrees E, around 80 km west-northwest of Baripada, 70 km northeast of Keonjhargarh, 80 km south-southwest of Jamshedpur and 180 km east-southeast of Rourkela.
The system is expected to continue moving nearly west-northwestwards across north Odisha, adjoining south Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh during the next 24 hours.
For Gujarat, the advisory forecasts light to moderate rainfall at most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall on July 6 and 7.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places on July 8, followed by heavy rainfall at isolated places on July 9.
Saurashtra and Kutch are also expected to receive light to moderate rainfall at most places, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 6 and 7 and heavy rainfall on July 8 and 9.
The advisory is in line with the latest warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has placed the Gujarat region under an extremely heavy rainfall warning for July 6 and 7, while Saurashtra and Kutch remain under very heavy rainfall warnings during the same period.
IMD has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and squally winds over parts of Gujarat on Monday.
The IMD’s Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre has forecast widespread rain and thundershowers across much of the state, with rainfall expected at many places in North Gujarat and Saurashtra and at most places in South Gujarat over the next two days.
Apart from Gujarat, the MHA advisory warns of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan and Madhya Maharashtra, while heavy rainfall is also expected over Jharkhand, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Marathwada, Vidarbha and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
The advisory further states that squally winds reaching 35-45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, are likely over north interior Odisha, adjoining south Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh until the morning of July 7.
Over the northwest Bay of Bengal and along the Odisha, West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh coasts, winds of up to 55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, are expected before gradually weakening.
Sea conditions are forecast to remain rough over the northwest Bay of Bengal and along the Odisha, West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh coasts until July 7, while conditions over the central and northeast Bay of Bengal are expected to improve after Monday morning.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the northwest Bay of Bengal and along the Odisha, West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh coasts until July 7.
They have also been warned against venturing into the central and northeast Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours.
The MHA said the expected impacts include uprooting of small trees, damage to plantations and standing crops, minor damage to vulnerable structures and kutcha houses, waterlogging in low-lying areas, localised flooding, landslides, disruption to road and rail transport, reduced visibility and possible disruption to helicopter services.
The advisory said: “People are advised to keep a watch on the weather for worsening conditions and be ready to move to safer places accordingly. Take safe shelters; do not take shelter under trees, as there could be lightning.”
The MHA has asked all concerned state governments to maintain close monitoring of the situation, ensure district authorities remain alert and take all necessary precautionary measures.
States have also been requested to keep the ministry informed of any significant developments through the Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response.
–IANS
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