70.6 mm rainfall in Nagpur in 36 hrs; IMD issues Orange Alert for Vidarbha on July 3, 4

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Nagpur: The first spell of intense monsoon rainfall brought much-needed relief from scorching heat across Nagpur but simultaneously exposed glaring gaps in the city’s monsoon preparedness, with widespread waterlogging, uprooted trees, power outages and massive traffic congestion disrupting normal life. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for several districts of Vidarbha for July 3 and 4, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Nagpur, the city recorded 70.6 mm of rainfall during the last 36 hours, making it one of the wettest places in the region after Gondia. The rain, which began around 7.30 pm on Wednesday, continued intermittently until Thursday afternoon, significantly lowering temperatures and bringing respite from prolonged heat and humidity.

However, the heavy downpour once again laid bare the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) claims of monsoon preparedness. As witnessed in previous years, several flood-prone locations, including the Manish Nagar Underpass, Loha Pul Road Under Bridge (RUB) and other low-lying areas, were inundated, disrupting vehicular movement and leaving commuters stranded.

The city witnessed severe traffic snarls at several major intersections, including Shankar Nagar Square, Kriplani Square, RBI Square, Automotive Square and adjoining roads, as waterlogged streets and stalled vehicles slowed traffic for hours. In several areas, trees were uprooted due to strong winds, further hampering traffic movement, while power outages were reported in some localities.

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The IMD said Nagpur recorded a maximum temperature of 29.8 degrees Celsius, which was 4.1 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 24.6 degrees Celsius. Despite the rainfall, relative humidity remained high at 76 per cent, with westerly to southwesterly winds blowing at around 250 degrees.

The Weather Department has cautioned citizens to remain vigilant while travelling as intermittent rainfall may result in slippery roads, poor visibility and localised flooding. Residents have been advised to avoid waterlogged stretches and exercise caution during thunderstorms.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gondia, Nagpur and Wardha districts during July 3 and 4. The forecast also predicts thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, prompting the issuance of an Orange Alert for the region.

Across Vidarbha, Gondia recorded the highest rainfall at 103.8 mm during the past 36 hours, followed by Nagpur (70.6 mm), Bramhapuri (59.2 mm), Washim (28.4 mm), Amravati (14 mm), Gadchiroli (11 mm), Chandrapur (5 mm), Buldhana (4 mm), Wardha (3.4 mm) and Bhandara (1 mm).

The widespread rainfall also brought down daytime temperatures across the region. Several districts, including Buldhana, Bramhapuri, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur and Washim, recorded maximum temperatures below the 30-degree Celsius mark, signalling a significant shift in weather conditions with the active monsoon system expected to persist over the coming days.

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