IMD alerts: Heavy rain with hailstorm and snowfall in 9 states, UTs till Oct 29

The IMD has said that in the next 48 hours with the complete withdrawal of southwest monsoon, northeast monsoon rains are expected to commence over southeast peninsular region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted in its latest bulletin that the southwest monsoon will withdraw from the entire country in the next 48 hours (by October 26). This prediction has arrived at a time when several northern hill states and Union territories (UTs) of India such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have been witnessing extreme rain and snowfall conditions triggering landslides, among other incidents.

The IMD has forecasted isolated heavy rainfall or snowfall over eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir. (AP)

More than 60 people, including many trekkers, have lost their lives in Uttarakhand due to floods, landslides and building collapses – all triggered by incessant rain. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, bad weather resulted in as many as 80 people getting stranded in Lahaul-Spiti, a district management official told news agency PTI on Thursday.

The IMD has said that in the next 48 hours with the complete withdrawal of southwest monsoon, northeast monsoon rains are expected to commence over southeast peninsular region. Besides this, there is also a western disturbance that lies over north Pakistan and its neighbourhood.

1. Light to moderate, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning are very likely over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south interior Karnataka till October 29. A similar weather alert has been issued for coastal Karnataka for the next three to four days, and over coastal Andhra Pradesh for the next 24 hours.

2. The IMD has forecasted isolated very heavy falls over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry between October 25 and 26, and over Kerala and Puducherry’s Mahe on October 26.

3. In Himachal Pradesh and north Haryana, isolated hailstorms are very likely. Meanwhile, according to the IMD bulletin, isolated heavy rainfall or snowfall is very likely over eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh in the next 24 hours – and will reduce thereafter.