New Delhi, Aug 8 — Heavy rainfall is likely across several parts of India on Saturday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting widespread rain across northwest, central, east, northeast, west and peninsular regions.
According to the latest IMD forecast, issued on Friday night, several areas are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, while thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are expected in parts of the country. The weather department has advised people to remain cautious in areas vulnerable to waterlogging, flooding and other rain-related disruptions.
In northern India, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is expected over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are also likely to see widespread rainfall on Saturday. Heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh and West Rajasthan, while East Rajasthan is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rain at isolated locations.
In eastern India, widespread rainfall is expected over Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Odisha faces a warning for very heavy rainfall on August 8, while Bihar is likely to continue receiving widespread rainfall.
The Northeast is also expected to remain wet, with heavy rainfall forecast at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and other northeastern states. In western India, widespread rainfall is likely over Konkan and Goa, while parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat may also receive rain.
Southern and peninsular India are also expected to experience significant rainfall. The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall over Coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka on August 8, with very heavy rainfall possible in isolated areas. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are also likely over parts of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The IMD has also warned fishermen against venturing into several sea areas, including along and off the coasts of Oman, Karnataka, and Kerala, amid adverse weather conditions.
Meanwhile, torrential rain pounded Delhi and the National Capital Region on Friday, flooding roads, disrupting traffic and triggering multiple emergency incidents across the region.
South Delhi’s MB Road witnessed some of the worst waterlogging, particularly near the Air Force Station, where water reportedly reached nearly four feet, leaving vehicles stranded and traffic severely disrupted.
Several motorcycles and autorickshaws reportedly stalled after entering flooded stretches, while Air Force trucks were used to assist movement through some inundated areas.
Traffic remained slow on several major routes, including ITO, Patel Road, Rohtak Road, Wazirabad Road, Kirti Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and areas around Badarpur Border Metro Station. Flooded subways and submerged roads added to commuters’ difficulties.