India: IMD issues orange alert in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal in wake of very heavy rainfall

Parts of southern India will continue to receive light to moderate showers for the next two days, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Several regions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry have been facing continuous rainfall inflicting flood-like situations in some secluded areas. Heavy rainfall is also likely to hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the next two days.

The Met department has issued an alert for fishermen and an advisory urging them not to venture into the south Andaman Sea on Wednesday. The advisory also suggested that fishermen should avoid going near the southeast Bay of Bengal from Wednesday to Friday, and southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal on Thursday and Friday.

Temperature drops in northern regions

Meanwhile, north India is bracing itself for winter as temperature starts dipping. According to the weather department, dense fog started hitting visibility in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and a few north-eastern states.

The Met Office has said widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by isolated thunderstorm activity is also likely to occur over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand till Thursday.

Furthermore, IMD has also predicted rains in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh in the next three days.

The minimum temperatures are likely to fall gradually by 2-3°C over most parts of Northwest and Central India during the next two days, the IMD said.

Dense fog is likely in isolated pockets in the morning hours in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan on Thursday. Shallow to moderate fog is very likely over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during the next three days.

Air quality in Delhi shows a slight improvement

Delhi’s air quality has shown slight improvement with its air quality index (AQI) changing from the “severe” category to the “very poor” category. On Monday, the AQI stood at 395 and on Tuesday it was recorded at 312.

Hence, the central government on Tuesday ordered for easing of the pollution curbs in the capital city. The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for coming up with ways to combat pollution in the region, said that the curbs under Stage 3 of the anti-pollution plan will be rolled back immediately.

(With inputs from agencies)