IMD issues urgent heavy rain and lightning alert for Madhya Pradesh

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has escalated its weather warning for parts of Madhya Pradesh, issuing an urgent alert for extremely heavy rain accompanied by lightning in the next three hours. This latest advisory, released on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, specifically targets isolated areas in five districts: Chhindwara, Damoh, Narmadapuram, Narsimhapur, and Sagar.

IMD also issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in eight districts of central Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. The affected districts include Guna, Ashoknagar, Vidisha, Raisen, Narmadapuram, Sehore, and Harda, expecting over 204 mm of rain in the next 24 hours. This weather event is due to a low-pressure area over Northeast Madhya Pradesh, expected to intensify into a depression within 12 hours.

B.S. Yadav, a meteorologist at IMD Bhopal, reported significant rainfall across the state in the past 24 hours. Damoh had the most rainfall (215 mm), then Jabalpur (190 mm), and Narsinghpur (178 mm).

An orange alert has been issued for districts adjacent to the red alert areas in Central Madhya Pradesh, where 115 mm to 204 mm of rain is likely. The remaining districts are under a yellow alert.

Heavy rainfall is expected for about a week, with a new weather system approaching Madhya Pradesh. While chances of extremely heavy rainfall may decrease after 24 hours, heavy rainfall will persist. Bhopal, the state capital, is forecasted to experience heavy rainfall today, with rainfall continuing for the next four days at a slightly reduced intensity.

Farmers have been advised to take precautionary measures due to the weather conditions. These include draining excess water from crops like soybean, maize, cotton, vegetables, and orchards.

As per the IMD, postpone applies nitrogenous fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides until clear weather. Farmers should provide staking support to vegetables and newly planted orchards to prevent damage from heavy rains. Keep farm animals indoors during thunderstorms and lightning for safety.

The meteorological office emphasized the importance of continuous crop monitoring to prevent pest infestations and diseases from wet conditions.

Farmers should implement contingency plans, such as sowing short-duration crops like cowpea, sesame, guar, beans, and ramtil, in areas with low germination or crop damage. The weather forecast and agricultural advisories highlight the need for vigilance and adaptive measures in the face of intense weather patterns affecting Madhya Pradesh.