Maharashtra: Heavy rain warnings for parts of Vidarbha; red, orange alerts issued for several districts

The weather department has issued red and orange alerts for parts of Maharashtra's Vidarbha region warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next five days, an official said on Monday.

The regional meteorological centre in Nagpur has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy showers in parts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia on Monday and Tuesday, the official said.

Similarly, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at one or two places in Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Washim and Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha with an orange alert from Monday to Wednesday, the official said. Heavy to very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm and lightning may occur at one or two places in Nagpur, Bhandara, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal and Wardha districts of Vidarbha in the next five days, he said.

As per the forecast released at 1 pm, thunderstorms with lightning are very likely at isolated places over Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur and Bhandara. Light to moderate rainfall is very likely at many places in Akola, Washim; few places in Yavatmal and Amravati and isolated places in Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur and Wardha districts, it stated. There was also a possibility of intense spells of rainfall at isolated places over Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.

As per official data, in the last 24 hours up to 8.30 am, Nagpur had recorded 108.7 mm rainfall, followed by Wardha with 100.4 mm, Gadchiroli with 83.4 mm and Yavatmal with 61 mm.