Days of sweltering heat and humidity across Uttar Pradesh have given way to heavy monsoon showers, and the India Meteorological Department says the wet spell is far from over. Skies stayed overcast through last Saturday in several districts, with intense rain lashing towns through the day. The showers brought relief from the heat, but they also flooded potholes and choked drains, making it hard for residents to move around. The IMD's latest warning points to more heavy rain across different parts of the state over the coming days.
Orange alert issued for these districts
The IMD has placed a large cluster of districts under an orange alert, its second-highest warning level, pointing to the risk of heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. The list includes Saharanpur, Jyotiba Phule Nagar, Bareilly, Sitapur, Balrampur, Maharajganj, Sultanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Rampur. It also covers Pilibhit, Bahraich, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Amethi, Bijnor, Sambhal, Kheri and Shravasti. Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ayodhya, Moradabad, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Barabanki, Siddharthnagar and Ambedkar Nagar have also been placed under the orange alert, meaning residents across all these districts should stay especially alert over the next few days.
Yellow alert districts, including Lucknow and Varanasi
A wider set of districts has been placed under a yellow alert for heavy rain and lightning strikes. These include Sonbhadra, Varanasi, Deoria, Kanpur, Jhansi, Kanshiram Nagar, Shamli, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Pratapgarh and Kanpur Dehat. The alert also extends to Lalitpur, Bulandshahr, Prayagraj, Ballia, Raebareli, Jalaun, Kannauj, Hapur, Jaunpur and Mau. Further districts under the same warning are Lucknow, Hamirpur, Hardoi, Meerut, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Azamgarh, Unnao, Mahoba, Farrukhabad and Baghpat.
Waterlogging and disruption on the ground
The rain that has already fallen has taken a visible toll on daily life. Drains overflowed in several areas, while potholes on roads filled up completely with water, leaving two-wheeler and car drivers struggling to get through. With the IMD signalling that this pace of rainfall could continue in the coming days, local authorities and residents will need to stay prepared for waterlogging and the risk of lightning strikes.
