Red alert in Maharashtra, Gujarat as very heavy rains predicted

Heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Maharashtra, Gujarat, west Madhya Pradesh and Goa in the next couple of days, the India Meteorological Department said.

With southwest monsoon remaining vigorous over west Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha and active over Marathwada and Telangana, it said a few places in these regions could experience "extremely" heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Heavy rainfall is also expected over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam and Meghalaya, East Rajasthan, coastal Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during this period.

However, no such warning has been issued for Jammu and Kashmir where rains and floods during the last week claimed 150 lives.

The monsoon trough, meanwhile, passes over Barmer, Chittorgarh, centre of a well-marked low pressure area over southwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining north Madhya Maharashtra, Raipur, Paradip and towards east central Bay of Bengal.

Image: Women try to cross a water-logged road in Maharashtra's Thane district. Photograph: Sahil Salvi