Orange Alert In 8 Kerala Districts Amid Heavy Showers; Light Rain Forecast In Delhi | Weather Updates

Meanwhile, search operations in Karnataka's Uttar Kannada district continued after a rain-triggered landslide claimed the lives of four people the previous day.

The bodies of all four persons were recovered and identified early on Wednesday, a senior police official was cited by news agency PTI.

The national capital, on the other hand, woke up to a humid weather with the MeT department forecasting light rain in the city for the day.

DELHI WEATHER

There's not much happening for Delhiites in terms of weather for Wednesday. The humid weather will likely get a little better, with the IMD predicting light rains in the city.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 29.8 degrees Celsius, with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 38 degrees Celsius.

IMD's weather bulletin forecast "scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning very likely over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi during the next five days".

HEAVY RAINS IN KERALA; IMD ISSUES ORANGE ALERT

Incessant downpour continued to lash Kerala, leaving several parts of the city waterlogged.

The weather department has issued an orange alert for eight districts, including Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod for Wednesday, while issuing yellow alert for the remaining six districts.

An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

Visuals from parts of Kerala showed people navigating through waterlogged, moving at a relatively slower pace given the low visibility amid rains.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) also issued a warning, alerting people about water levels of various rivers rising to a dangerous level, including Pathanamthitta's Achankovil and Idukki's Thodupuzha.

The torrential rains also caused landslides, infrastructural damage, waterlogged roads and farmlands across Kerala.

As many as 45 persons were moved to camps amid heavy showers in Kottayam, the administration said.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran urged party workers and members to assist in relief work for people who are faced with property damage and other losses due to the rains.

RED ALERT IN KARNATAKA

The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall for north interior Karnataka for the next five days.

The weather office issued a red alert for South Interior Karnataka and Coastal Karnataka for July 18, while an orange alert was sounded for the next five days in South Interior Karnataka.

The Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham or Sringeri Math cautioned devotees about River Tunga flowing well above the danger mark.

Located in Karnataka's Chikmagalur district, the Math in a post on X said, "...devotees are advised to exercise caution and urged to stay away from the riverbanks."

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations resumed in Uttara Kannada district, where massive rain-triggered landslides claimed the lives of four people.

A senior police official said that so far, four bodies had been recovered and identified, adding that restorations works resumed early this morning.

Vehicular movement has also been temporarily suspended on National Highway 66 where the incident took place.

The state government also said that the incessant rains also swept away two of the three gas tankers that had stopped at an eatery along the highway.

The National Highways Authority of India, the state government said, while building NH-66 "cut the hill steep instead of a 45-degree slope" which resulted in the accident.

Traffic has also been banned in Seethalayanagiri-Mullayanagiri area of Chikmagalur till July 22.

RAJASTHAN RAINS: IMD ISSUES ORANGE ALERT

The weather department has issued an orange alert for Rajasthan for Wednesday and Thursday. It said, "isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over East Rajasthan on July 17 and 18".

IMD's bulletin forecast said that "heavy rainfall" was very likely over East Rajasthan during the next five days and West Rajasthan on July 17 and 18.

According to IMD, a low pressure area formed over Chhattisgarh and the surrounding Vidarbha region on Tuesday, adding that another low pressure area is likely to form in the Bay of Bengal around Thursday, July 18.

Heavy rains are expected in Kota and Udaipur, while very heavy rains are likely at some places in Kota, Udaipur and Ajmer divisions.