Uttarakhand rain: Worst likely over, rainfall activity to shift eastwards, IMD says

The record-shattering rainfall that caused widespread destruction in Uttarakhand over the past two days is expected to drastically reduce from today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted. The state is likely to remain dry for the remainder of the week.

Uttarakhand received 122 mm of cumulative rainfall between Monday and Tuesday. The meteorological station in Mukteshwar recorded 340 mm rainfall during the 24-hour period — the highest since the station started recording data in 1897. Pantnagar recorded 403 mm rainfall, its higher-ever.

India as a whole witnessed a wet day, recording 266% more rainfall than normal for the day. Rainfall in October has been 36% higher than normal.

Several regions of Uttarakhand recorded their highest-ever rainfall over a 24-hour period between Monday and Tuesday. Rainfall in Nainital, Pancheshwar, and Champawat was over 500 mm, while the figure in many other regions crossed the 400-mm mark.

However, according to the Met department, the worst might be over for the state. The weather bureau has predicted that the intense rainfall activity is likely to shift towards the east to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Sikkim, West Bengal, Odisha, and parts of the northeast. These regions have already been witnessing heavy rainfall over the past few days, the IMD said.

An IMD official told The Indian Express on Tuesday that the easterlies would interact with the low-pressure system over north Jharkhand, west Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

This will bring heavy rainfall over the northeast, east Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar on Wednesday, the official said.

While rainfall over eastern India is likely to reduce from Thursday, the IMD has predicted the rainfall activity to shift to the southern peninsula. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry are likely to witness significant rainfall activity on Wednesday and Thursday. The IMD has already issued a ‘yellow alert’ for these states.

The weather bureau said the strengthening of the easterlies from the Bay of Bengal would affect Mahe, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu till October 23.

The approaching western disturbance, the IMD said, would continue to influence the northern regions such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, which witnessed snowfall on Tuesday. These regions will receive precipitation either as rain or snow over the coming days.