By Roopak Goswami
Guwahati: In sharp contrast to the scorching heat gripping northern India, the Northeast is bracing for a prolonged spell of rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds over the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned. While parts of northwest and central India continue to reel under heatwave conditions, the IMD says Northeast India will see fairly widespread to widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph during the week.
The IMD has issued alerts for very heavy rainfall in Assam and Meghalaya from April 27 to 30, and in Arunachal Pradesh from April 30 to May 2, while Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura are likely to receive heavy rainfall till May 1. Thundersqualls with wind speeds of up to 70 kmph are also likely in several states, increasing the risk of damage.
At the same time, temperatures in parts of north and central India have surged, with the mercury touching as high as 46.9°C in Akola. Heatwave conditions have been reported in Vidarbha and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh, with the IMD indicating that these conditions are likely to persist briefly before easing, underscoring a stark weather divide across the country .
In the Northeast, the ongoing and forecast rainfall could trigger waterlogging and urban flooding, landslides in hill districts, damage to crops and plantations, and disruptions to power and communication lines. The situation is already unfolding, with Tripura recording very heavy rainfall of up to 13 cm and Meghalaya receiving heavy rainfall of up to 9 cm in the past 24 hours, along with winds reaching up to 113 kmph in parts of the region.
Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid taking shelter under trees, and secure loose objects while remaining alert to rapidly changing weather conditions. Fishermen have also been advised not to venture into the Bay of Bengal till May 2 due to rough sea conditions. Meteorologists attribute the current wet spell to multiple cyclonic circulations over Assam and neighbouring regions, along with a trough system that is intensifying moisture inflow over the Northeast.