Orange alert for six districts in Madhya Pradesh as monsoon set to advance

The IMD on Saturday issued an orange alert warning of very heavy rains with thunderstorms and lightning in six districts, including Jabalpur and Narsinghpur, in east Madhya Pradesh and a yellow alert predicting heavy rains with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in eight districts including Vidisha and Hoshangabad as the southwest monsoon is expected to advance in the state in the next 24 hours. Another yellow alert forecasting a "thunderstorm with lightning and lightning falls" has been sounded for isolated places in five divisions including Indore, Gwalior and Chambal. The Met department also predicted that such weather conditions will prevail in 10 districts including Bhopal.

All three alerts remain valid till Sunday morning.

Through an 'orange' alert (be prepared), the IMD indicates a risk to people and property.


When a 'yellow' (be updated) alert is issued, authorities are advised to "be updated" as it indicates that hazardous conditions are possible and people need to be aware of the potential impacts of the changing weather.

Senior meteorologist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhopal PK Saha said though southwest monsoon did not spread (advance) on Saturday in Madhya Pradesh, it is going to advance in the state in the next 24 hours.

Southwest monsoon had covered entire Jabalpur and Hoshangabad divisions, large parts of Indore and Shahdol divisions and some parts of Bhopal and Sagar divisions on Friday, a day after its onset in some parts of MP, the senior officer said.

Large parts of Madhya Pradesh received rains in the last 24 hours, Saha said, adding Devri in Sagar district in eastern MP and Nasrullahganj at Sehore district in western MP recorded 113 mm and 106 mm rainfall, respectively in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Saturday.