Yellow alert issued in Mumbai & neighbouring area. Rainfall likely on these days

Besides Mumbai, rainfall is also likely in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Jalgaon, Nasik, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and others.

The India Meteorological Department on Thursday predicted rainfall across Maharashtra between November 25 and 27.

The development is likely to reduce air pollution in Mumbai. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

The department has put large areas of the coastal state on a yellow alert. Besides Maharashtra, rainfall is likely to occur in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and south Rajasthan till next week.

In Maharashtra, the IMD predicts rainfall in Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Jalgaon, Nasik, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Latur, among others. Some of these districts could see rainfall on November 24 as well.

These districts are very likely to see "thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds of 30 to 40 kmph" in some places, the department forecasts.

The IMD has cited the formation of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal behind the unseasonal rainfall.

"Due to the formation of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, thunderstorm activities are likely to begin at isolated places of south Maharashtra from tomorrow. A yellow alert has been issued for November 26-28 across Maharashtra," Sunil Kamble, Head, IMD Mumbai, told PTI.

The yellow alert warning comes even as southern Indian states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been witnessing heavy rainfall since Wednesday.

In Kerala, the heavy rainfall has led to a flood-like situation in various cities. Authorities have urged people to exercise extra vigil in high ranges and low-lying areas in the state. Landslides have been reported in hilly regions of Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts, while intense waterlogging in low-lying areas has affected the normal life of people.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a red alert for Pathanamthitta amid incessant rainfall. A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours.

In Tamil Nadu, several districts have been battered with heavy rainfall, prompting authorities to declare holidays in schools.

IMD forecast said that cyclonic circulations over Tamil Nadu could result in moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in Kerala over the next five days.