New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) As the monsoon continues its journey across the country, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday predicted light to heavy rainfall in Delhi and several other regions over the next week.

IMD scientist Akhil Shrivastava, speaking to IANS, said the national capital can expect sporadic rainfall in the coming days.

"Monsoon officially arrived in Delhi on June 29, accompanied by light showers. Our forecast suggests that during the next seven days, Delhi may experience light to heavy rainfall. There will also be periods of partly cloudy skies, with chances of thunderstorms and lightning," he said.

Shrivastava emphasised that while rain will occur, it is likely to remain on the lighter side in Delhi for most of the week.

Moving beyond the capital, the IMD has issued significant warnings for several states expecting intense rainfall.

"Extremely heavy rainfall, exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours, is expected in eastern Rajasthan and the ghat areas of central Maharashtra," Shrivastava said.

"States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha are also under heavy rainfall alerts. In Gujarat, Konkan, and Goa, rainfall will be widespread, and Karnataka may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas today."

The hilly states are also on alert, with heavy to very heavy showers forecast for parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is likely to receive significant rainfall, prompting precautionary warnings.

Highlighting the severity, Shrivastava outlined the alert levels: “A yellow alert has been issued for most parts of Uttar Pradesh. Eastern Rajasthan and central Maharashtra are under red alert due to extreme rainfall potential. Orange alerts have been sounded in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, Karnataka, and northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.”

He advised residents in affected areas to stay informed and take necessary precautions as weather conditions evolve throughout the week.

--IANS

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