As north and central India burn, heavy rainfall in north-east leads to floods in Assam

Even as north-west India and Indo-Gangetic plains sizzle in a heat wave, large parts of north-east India witnessed heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on Saturday with first wave of floods hitting Assam affecting approximately 25,000 people across six districts. On Saturday, three people were killed in landslides in the Haflong area of Dima Hasao district, including a woman.

Severe heat wave conditions prevailed over the Indo-Gangetic plains and north-west Indian plains on Saturday with Uttar Pradesh’s Banda recording the highest maximum temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperatures will be well to significantly above average across the northern half of India for several days. An orange alert was issued for Sunday in Delhi, and the IMD says the blistering heat was likely to continue on May 16 and 17 as well.

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“Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions were observed in most parts over west Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, many parts over east Rajasthan, southern parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, northern parts of eastern Madhya Pradesh, and some parts over Punjab,” IMD said. Heat wave conditions were also observed in most parts over north-west Madhya Pradesh and south-west Uttar Pradesh.

Respite for some pockets of north India

Meanwhile, under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance, isolated rainfall or thunderstorm is likely over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Sunday. The rainfall activity is likely to increase with scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm or hail is very likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on May 16 and 17. Isolated light rainfall with thunderstorm or lightning is very likely over north Punjab on May 16 and 17 and also over east Uttar Pradesh on the same days.

Dust-raising winds, with speed reaching 30-40 kmph at isolated places, is very likely over north Rajasthan on Sunday while dust storm or thunderstorm at isolated places over Haryana, west Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Monday is likely, the IMD bulletin said.

Water level rising in rivers in N-E

In Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, the water level of various rivers is progressively rising following days of heavy rain. The water in the Kopili river is running above the danger level mark. Several stations, especially those across Meghalaya, recorded rainfall of more than 150 mm in 24 hours.

The IMD has warned of a similar heavy to extremely heavy rainfall activity till May 18.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) flood data, the first spell of flood affected 24,681 people in 94 villages in six districts — Cachar, Dhemaji, Hojai, Karbi Anglong West, Nagaon, and Kamrup (Metro). In the flood-affected districts, flood waters have flooded 1732.72 hectares of crops.

Meanwhile, near-normal lows will spread over the southern half of the subcontinent.

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