Madhya Pradesh is under its first red alert of the monsoon season. The India Meteorological Department has forecast extremely heavy rainfall in Khandwa and Harda districts today, with the state expected to receive 4 to 8 inches of rain in the next 24 hours.
The alert covers 19 districts and marks the most severe warning issued since the monsoon began.
The monsoon arrived in Madhya Pradesh on June 24, nine days later than usual. By Thursday, it had reached Ujjain, Gwalior, and the Chambal division, completing its spread across the entire state in just nine days.
Despite the coverage, 38 of the state’s districts have recorded below-normal rainfall so far this season. Bhopal, Indore, and Dewas have received the highest rainfall totals.
Senior Meteorological Department scientist Arun Sharma said the rain and strong winds would bring down temperatures across most of the state, though some districts would see little change.
Where the Red Alert Applies
Khandwa and Harda face the red alert for extremely heavy rain. Dhar, Barwani, Khargone, Dewas, Burhanpur, and Betul are also likely to see very heavy rainfall.
Heavy rain is forecast for Ratlam, Ujjain, Rajgarh, Raisen, Narmadapuram, Sagar, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Pandhurna, Seoni, Balaghat, Dindori, and Anuppur. Thunderstorms are expected across dozens of other districts, including Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Shahdol.
The warning holds until July 6, with the red alert itself in effect for the first two days.
Heavy rain hit more than 15 districts, including Bhopal, on Thursday. In Satna, a large tree fell on the grounds of Maharani Lakshmi Bai Girls School during a thunderstorm, burying two young women under the debris. The tree and falling debris also struck a motorbike and a street food cart nearby.
Damoh saw flood-like conditions. Roads in Rewa flooded under heavy rain. Bhopal recorded fog-like conditions during the downpour.
Rainfall Deficit Persists
Madhya Pradesh has received 113.1 mm of rain so far this season, 23 percent below the normal 147.7 mm. The eastern part of the state is 48 percent short of normal rainfall, while the western part is nearly on track, just 1 percent below normal.
The state typically receives about 40 percent of its seasonal rainfall in July alone, raising hopes that the current spell will narrow the deficit.
Beyond Madhya Pradesh
Chhattisgarh’s monsoon has also fully activated, driven by a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. Central and southern districts, including parts of the Bastar division, have already recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall. The state’s monsoon rainfall remains about 54 percent below normal, though the Meteorological Department expects the coming days to help close that gap.
In Rajasthan, the monsoon is gaining momentum, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and winds up to 60 kilometers per hour forecast across eastern districts including Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, and Kota. Western Rajasthan will also see rain, though Barmer and Jaisalmer are expected to stay comparatively dry.
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