Maharashtra weather: Red alert for heavy rains issued in Konkan, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in coastal districts while an orange alert is in effect for a few other districts of Maharashtra amid incessant rainfall in the state including in Pune, Mumbai 

 IMD scientist Shubhangi A Bhute said a red alert has been issued for the south Konkan region, specifically the districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. She mentioned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in both these districts in the coming days.

In other areas, such as Raigad, an orange alert has been issued, indicating a significant weather event, though less severe than the red alert. Meanwhile, in North Konkan, a yellow alert has been declared, suggesting that the weather conditions there are being monitored but are currently less intense.

Given the presence of a depression in the region, a warning has also been issued to fishermen, advising them to avoid venturing into the sea for their safety.

Maharashtra, especially the Konkan region, experiencing continued heavy rainfall since the past few days as a developing weather system over the Arabian Sea gains strength..

An upper air cyclonic circulation, currently extending up to the mid-tropospheric level over the east-central Arabian Sea off the north Karnataka and Goa coasts, is likely to evolve into a low-pressure area by Thursday. The IMD forecast indicates that this system is expected to move northwards and intensify into a depression by Friday.

Although the system is forming over the Arabian Sea, the IMD noted that its major impact will be felt in north Konkan, with limited effects expected in the interior regions. "We are in the wait-and-watch mode," an IMD official told TOI.

The weather department has predicted fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph over Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada from May 21 to 25. During the same period, Gujarat is likely to receive scattered to fairly widespread rainfall.