IMD warns of heavy rain in several states, schools closed in Karnataka, Mizoram; Kharge's Goa meeting cancelled

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall with lightning and thunderstorms with gusty winds across India for the next two-three days. Amid the weather forecast, schools in Mizoram have been closed on Thursday. Meanwhile, in Goa, a public meeting of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has been cancelled.
In Mizoram, amid the prediction of heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds, schools will remain closed on Thursday. A directive issued by the state school department on this said that, as per the weather forecast warnings issued by IMD and the Mizoram disaster management and rehabilitation department, there is a likelihood of heavy rainfall. It instructed that all schools within the state will remain closed as precautionary measures to avoid any potential disaster.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted inclement weather over Assam in the next 24 hours with a likelihood of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the next 2-3 days. In a statement, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said, as per the IMD forecast, a low-pressure area lying over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast is likely to move northwards and concentrate into a depression over the North Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours. Due to this, heavy to extremely heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, along with gusty winds, is expected in the western and southern districts of Assam.
In Goa, a public meeting of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge scheduled for May 30 to mark the Goa Statehood Day, has been cancelled. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) senior vice president M K Sheikh told PTI, 'We wanted to organise a huge meeting of our president Mallikarjun Kharge, but due to rains, we won't be able to hold it. We will hold the meeting after the monsoon.' For last four days following the onset of monsoon, Goa has been receiving torrential rains.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon arrived in some parts of Odisha on Wednesday, almost 13 days ahead of the normal time for its onset in the state, IMD said. Since Tuesday, several districts have received heavy rainfall with Odisha receiving 50 percent above-normal rainfall in the pre- pre-monsoon period from March to May. 'Southwest Monsoon has set in over Odisha, today. It covered entire Malkangiri & Koraput districts and some other districts of Odisha,' the IMD said in a bulletin. Earlier, the IMD issued an 'Orange' alert in five districts where lightning and thunderstorms with gusty winds are likely till May 30.
The IMD said heavy to very heavy rain with sustained winds of 40-50 kmph are likely to occur at one or two places in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts on May 30.
Heavy rain with sustained winds of 30-40 kmph is likely to occur at one or two places over Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts on May 31, the IMD said. It said heavy rain is likely to occur at one or two places over Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts on June 1.
News18 reported that heavy rainfall continues to lash Kodagu, prompting the district administration to declare a two-day holiday for Anganwadi centres, primary and high schools, and pre-university colleges on May 29 and 30. District collector Venkat Raja issued the order as a precautionary measure due to the ongoing downpour and accompanying storms, the report added.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)