The India Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms and high-speed gusty winds in the northern and north-western region over the next two days and has issued warnings. (Files/Representational)
Less than a week after widespread thundershowers, squall and lightning resulted in death of more than 100 people, northern India is bracing for another round of stormy weather on Monday and Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms and high-speed gusty winds in the northern and north-western region over the next two days and has issued warnings.
However, the fresh round of stormy weather is unlikely to be as devastating as the one that was witnessed last week. “The current meteorological conditions indicate that the oncoming round of thunderstorms would not be as strong as we saw in the last week,” Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, head of services at IMD, told The Indian Express.
He, however, said the precise information about the intensity of the current events would be known only a couple of hours before they strike. “The thunderstorm activity is already under progress in many parts of the country and we have been issuing alerts regarding that. But the activity is likely to intensify and strengthen over the next two days,” Mohapatra said.
In its evening bulletin on Sunday, the IMD warned people in the northern and eastern states to brace for extreme weather. “Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab (on Monday). Thunderstorm accompanied with squall is very likely at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely at isolated places over west Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, interior Karnataka and Kerala,” the IMD said.
It also predicted that dust storms were “very likely” at isolated places in Rajasthan, while some places in Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura could expect heavy rains.
Last week, more than 100 people were reported dead due to stormy weather in many states. The IMD had said such weather was expected during this time of the year.