The recent rainfall has brought some relief from the extreme heat that had gripped the country, but it has also led to loss of life and property in several areas. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures in the national capital have dropped sharply over the past 48 hours, with some stations recording a decrease of over 9 degrees.
The IMD forecasts that thunderstorms with rain will continue until May 31. For Saturday, the weather office predicts a minimum temperature of around 23 degrees Celsius and a maximum of approximately 35 degrees Celsius. A yellow alert has been issued for thunderstorms with rain.
In Uttar Pradesh, the IMD has predicted widespread rain and thunderstorms across the state over the next two days, warning of strong winds, lightning, hailstorms, and heavy rainfall in isolated areas.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind, three people lost their lives and at least four were injured in rain-related incidents on Friday evening. Strong winds accompanying the rain uprooted trees and caused walls to collapse. Reports indicate that one person died and two were injured in Atarsoha tehsil due to roof and wall collapses. Another fatality was reported in Sadripura village of Bhind tehsil, while one person died and two girls were injured in Sarva village of Gohad tehsil, according to news agency PTI.
Efforts are underway to identify the deceased, and the injured have been taken to hospitals. Additionally, several livestock were reported killed due to the severe weather in Bhind, officials noted.
In West Bengal, seven individuals died in rain-related incidents across six districts. Kolkata and several areas in south Bengal experienced thunderstorms that led to these tragedies. The adverse weather disrupted services at Kolkata airport, with reports indicating that both arrivals and departures were suspended for over an hour due to waterlogged airstrips. The IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore stated that enhanced thunderstorm activity is expected over south Bengal in the next two days, driven by favorable wind patterns and significant moisture influx from the Bay of Bengal.
In neighboring Odisha, hot and humid conditions are anticipated in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh districts on Saturday. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 60-70 km/h are likely in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Deogarh districts, as per the IMD bulletin.
An ‘orange warning’ has been issued for these districts on Saturday, while a ‘yellow warning’ has been sounded for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Bargarh, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh districts.
Jharkhand also experienced rainfall, and residents in Uttarakhand have been advised to prepare for a new round of light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall in higher elevations on Saturday. A ‘watch’ warning has been issued, advising residents to remain alert for isolated thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 40 to 50 km/h.
