Heavy rain forecast in Karnataka, yellow alert in 7 districts

The depression might intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, March 21, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rains in parts of Karnataka over the week as a depression over the north Andaman Sea intensifies into a cyclone. According to the IMD, rain is expected to impact South Western Karnataka until Thursday, March 24.

Bengaluru: Vehicles stuck in the traffic jam on the Mysore road after heavy rain in Bengaluru, Saturday, March 19, 2022. (PTI Photo)(PTI03_19_2022_000168B) (PTI)

The state's coastline and Malnad districts have been placed on high alert. Rain, thunder, and lightning are expected from the depression in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. From March 21 to March 24, the IMD has issued a yellow alert in seven districts: Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, and Haasan.

Rain is expected in the northern districts of Gadag, Haveri, Dharwad, Belagavi, and Raichur on Thursday and Friday, as well as showers in Bengaluru. On Friday, an orange alert was issued for Dakshina Kannada. Rain fell in parts of Bengaluru and Mysuru on March 20.

According to the IMD, the depression over the north Andaman Sea is expected to intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, March 21. According to the report, the depression had deepened and was moving north-northeastward at a speed of 12 kilometers per hour. "It is expected to proceed almost northwards along and off the Andaman Islands, toward the Myanmar coast, over the next 48 hours," the IMD warned in a report.

Officials claimed, people living in low-lying and flood-prone sections of the archipelago have been evacuated and are being placed in temporary relief camps in the North, Middle, and South Andaman districts. In the aftermath of the bad weather, all inter-island ferry services, as well as shipping services to Chennai and Visakhapatnam, have been suspended, and all educational institutions have been shuttered, they stated.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed approximately 150 personnel, and six relief camps have opened in various parts of the islands, according to officials. They reported that Long Island had received 131 mm of rain as of 8.30 a.m. on Monday, while Port Blair had received 26.1 mm. Control Rooms have also been established in each of the union territory's three districts.

The sea is expected to be quite stormy, and the weather service has urged that all tourism and fishing operations be suspended for the next two days. On Monday, fishermen should avoid venturing into the southeast Bay of Bengal, as well as the Andaman Sea on Monday and Tuesday.