The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, over the next few hours in Maharashtra on July 22.
Certain regions of Maharashtra are expected to experience precipitation within the next three hours.
"Thunderstorms with lightning and light to moderate rainfall are very likely to occur in a few places over Chandrapur and isolated places over Bhandara, Yavatmal, Gadchiroli, Wardha, and Gondia, including the Nagpur and Amravati districts of Vidarbha. Very light to light rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over the Akola district of Vidarbha. Take precautions while moving out," the IMD stated.
The IMD has also predicted that moderate rain will likely occur at isolated places over Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Thane, and the Ghats of Satara in the next three hours.
NDRF teams have been deployed in Vasai (Palghar), Thane, Ghatkopar, Powai (Kurla), Mahad (Raigad), Khed and Chiplun (Ratnagiri), Kudal (Sindhudurg), Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara as a precaution during the monsoon season.
"Apart from three teams in Mumbai and one team in Nagpur as regular deployment, teams are on alert for any emergency response at their locations, conducting reconnaissance in low-lying and landslide-prone areas," the NDRF reported.
Earlier, the Mumbai Police issued an advisory asking citizens to avoid coastal areas due to the heavy rainfall in the city.
Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rains for the past couple of weeks.
The IMD has also predicted rain in isolated places in the national capital today.
"Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by light thunderstorms and lightning is very likely to occur at isolated places in Delhi (Seemapuri), NCR (Hindon AF Station, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula, Noida, Dadri, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Manesar), Yamunanagar, and Kurukshetra," the IMD predicted.
"Rampur, Pilakhua, Hapur, Gulaoti, Sambhal, Billari, Milak, Sikandrabad, Chandausi, Bulandshahar, Bahajoi, Debai, Narora, Sahaswan, Atrauli, Aligarh, Iglas, Sikandra Rao, Raya, Hathras, Jalesar (U.P.), Sidhmukh, Bhiwari, Laxmangarh, and Rajgarh (Rajasthan) within the next 2 hours," it stated.
The weather agency warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Additionally, on July 21, the IMD issued an orange alert for several districts in Himachal Pradesh, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall.
Holiday for schools in parts of Vidarbha and Raigad
In view of the heavy rainfall warning, the administration has declared a holiday for schools on Monday in Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts in Vidarbha region and four tehsils in Raigad district in the coastal belt of Maharashtra.
Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai received copious rains on Saturday and Sunday, prompting district collector Kishan Jawale to issue an order declaring a holiday for government and private schools in Mangaon, Karjat, Poladpur and Mahad tehsils on Monday.
The order asked teachers and other non-teaching staff to report to schools and help the administration in relief and rescue operations necessitated by heavy rains over the last few days in Raigad district.
(with inputs from PTI, ANI)
