Severe rainfall alert issued for parts of India, 8 die in Maharashtra

At least eight people have died so far amid heavy rain and floods in various parts of Maharashtra, even as the weather department forecast heavy downpour on Tuesday and until August 21.

Rain lashed all parts of the state on Sunday and Monday, and the rain is expected to continue with the same intensity in Mumbai for the next two days. After that, it will decrease on Friday. The weather bureau has issued a warning of extremely heavy rain for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts on Tuesday and has appealed to people to venture out of their homes only if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Mithi river flowing through Mumbai has crossed the danger level.

The river, which has been hogging the headlines for alleged corruption in its cleaning, reached 4.07 metres (danger mark 4 metres). Due to this, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and police have issued an alert to the citizens in the surrounding settlements to remain vigilant, while residents of Bhandup and Vikhroli have been moved to safer locations in light of the potential for landslides.

Several beaches in Mumbai have been closed to the general public. Beaches at Juhu, Versova, Aksa and Gorai have been evacuated. People have been advised to be alert on beaches like Marine Drive, Worli Sea Face, Bandra Carter Road, and Madh Island.

The suburban services on Central Railway have been running behind schedule by 15 to 20 minutes due to waterlogging on the railway tracks between Ghatkopar, Vidyavihar, Kurla, Sion and Matunga stations of Central Railway. Local trains are running 20 to 25 minutes late due to waterlogging between Kurla, Tilak Nagar, and Govandi stations on the Harbour Line. Local trains on the Western Railway line are running at a snail's pace due to waterlogging at Mahim and Matunga Road.

The meteorological department has also forecast moderate to heavy rain over Kolkata and south Bengal districts till the weekend due to a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.

According to the weather office, the low-pressure system formed in the sea has turned into a deep depression. It entered the land near Gopalpur in Odisha on Tuesday morning.

Although the system will not have a special impact on West Bengal, there is a possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by moderate to heavy rain in most districts of South Bengal this week.

Fishermen along the coast of South Bengal and Odisha adjacent to the north Bay of Bengal have been advised not to venture into the deep sea till Friday.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, thunderstorms may occur in Kolkata and the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram and Bankura. The same alert has been issued for Murshidabad district on Wednesday.

"Heavy rain will start from Thursday. On that day, heavy rain is likely to occur in the South 24 Parganas district. On Friday, heavy rain may occur in North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, East Burdwan, Murshidabad and Nadia districts. The weather will remain like this until next Monday," said the met department official.

The Met department has also forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over north Telangana on August 19. Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely over coastal Karnataka the 19th and 20^th. Kerala, coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior Karnataka can see isolated very heavy rainfall on the 19^th.

There is also a likelihood of light to moderate rainfall at many places accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning over Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the next five days.

With inputs from agencies