Heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied with lightning and gusty winds is likely to hit the Northeast on Thursday and may continue till May 21, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its weather forecast on Wednesday.
"Moisture incursion due to strong low-level Southerly/ Southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal to Northeast India is very likely during May 17 to 2. Under its influence, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall/thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds is very likely over the Northeast region during the next five days," the IMD bulletin said.
The forecast bulletin said isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura in the five days. Arunachal Pradesh, however, is likely to witness light to moderate rainfall at many places till May 19 and isolated heavy rainfall thereafter.
Low visibility, uprooting of trees, flash floods and landslides are likely due to the heavy rainfall and strong winds while crops may get damaged due to the same, said the bulletin.
The Northeast, having hills and forests, witness floods almost every year, which cause loss of life and infrastructure. The disaster management departments of the states in Northeast have already started preparation for the Monsoon and possible floods. Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh witnessed massive landslides due to heavy and persistent rains last year resulting in the death of more than 100 persons.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority held a mock flood exercise for eight flood-prone districts, recently.
Published 17 May 2023, 16:19 IST