Heavy rain batters Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi disrupting normal life; more rainfall expected

New Delhi: Several parts of the country received heavy rainfall on Wednesday causing waterlogging in many cities and more rains are expected. The India Meteorological Department has forecast intense rainfall over central parts of the country during the next five days. 

Many parts of Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh received heavy rains on Wednesday, leading to a dip in maximum temperatures. While Odisha was battered by fresh downpour on Wednesday due to the formation of the new low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, submerging low-lying places, officials said.

In Uttarakhand, heavy overnight rains blocked a number of roads including the ones leading to the Himalayan temples of Kedarnath and Badrinath, the state's Disaster Management office in Dehradun said.

Meanwhile, the weather department in its latest bulletin said, the monsoon trough is active and lies close to its normal position. It is very likely to be south of its normal position and continue to be active during the next four-five days.

There is convergence of strong moist southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea over plains in northwest India and Central India at lower levels which is likely to continue fo the next 2 days.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall can be expected in the coming few days in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, east and west Madhya Pradesh, east Rajasthan, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

While, widespread rain along with heavy to very heavy downpour is likely over the districts of South Bengal from Wednesday due to a formation of two back-to-back low pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal, the Met department in Kolkata said. 

On Wednesday, a low pressure area formed over north Bay of Bengal and is likely to move westwards gradually and concentrate into a depression by Thursday afternoon, the Met said. A second low pressure area is likely to develop over northwest Bay of Bengal around August 23, it said. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea on August 19 and 20.

The meteorological department has forecast light to moderate rain coupled with thundershowers occurred at many places in Uttar Pradesh adding that thunderstorms were reported at isolated places in the state.
Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places on August 20 and that rain accompanied by lightning is also very likely in the state on August 21.

On Tuesday, Central Water Commission issued a flood advisory for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh as heavy-to-extremely heavy rainfall is likely in the coming days.