NASA Earth Observatory, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 (representative monsoon rainfall image)
Flash flood alert for 8 states, 2 UTs as IMD flags heavy rainfall
The IMD has issued flash flood alerts for 8 states and 2 union territories, including Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, warning of very heavy rainfall through the week.
The India Meteorological Department has flagged flash flood risk across eight states and two union territories, citing very heavy rainfall over the coming days.
The alert spans Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Chhattisgarh faces the most intense spell, with isolated pockets forecast to exceed 204.5mm of rain and districts including Gaurela, Pendra, Marwahi, Balrampur and Surguja under an extremely heavy rain warning.
Northern Odisha’s Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Sambalpur districts face flash flood risk, with coastal winds of 40-50 kmph also expected.
The alert runs through September 2 for most states, while Uttarakhand’s warning extends the longest, through September 8.
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are both under flash flood warnings, adding to the list of hill and northern regions bracing for the current spell.
IMD’s flash flood warnings are typically issued when very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in a short window, raising the risk of sudden waterlogging, landslides and river-level surges.
Authorities in the affected districts have been advised to remain on alert, particularly in areas prone to landslides or where rivers and streams could rise rapidly during the heaviest spells.
The current alert spans a wide geographic band from the Himalayan foothills in the north to Chhattisgarh and Odisha in central and eastern India, reflecting an active monsoon system moving across the country.
In Chhattisgarh, isolated areas are forecast to receive rainfall exceeding 204.5mm, with high-risk districts including Gaurela, Pendra, Marwahi, Balrampur, Surguja and nine others facing extremely heavy rain.
Northeast India could see 115.6mm to 204.4mm of rainfall in isolated pockets, while northern Odisha is forecast to receive widespread heavy rainfall through the alert period.
In northern Odisha, districts including Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Sambalpur have been flagged for flash flood risk, alongside strong winds of 40-50 kmph expected in coastal areas.
NASA Earth Observatory, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 (representative monsoon rainfall image)