Northeast stares at heavy rain over next 5 days after deficit

Guwahati: Rainfall has gained momentum in the northeast with IMD predicting heavy rain this week in several parts of the region, after the month of May remained deficient in rainfall across seven northeastern states.

Since Saturday morning, Assam has experienced a 64% departure above normal rainfall in the last 24 hours, IMD data said. As per the IMD bulletin, heavy rainfall was recorded at isolated places in Assam in the past 24 hours (till 8:30 am on Sunday). Deficient rain continued in the other six northeastern states during the last 24 hours, according to IMD's rainfall data. The Met office on Sunday issued a warning of heavy rainfall across the northeastern states for the next five days.

"After this week's widespread rainfall, rain may stop for a while, and return later to the region. This is how rainfall activities will progress till arrival of monsoon," said KN Mohan, head at regional meteorological centre of IMD in Guwahati.

While all seven northeastern states have experienced deficit rainfall in May, Tripura and Mizoram have recorded large deficient rainfall between May 1 and 11, the highest departure below normal among the northeastern states.

An official of the Met department said considering the time of pre-monsoon season, the rainfall has not been adequate in this pre-monsoon season (started on March 1), or this month. But a good amount of rainfall is on the cards this week, which will fill up the gap to some extent.

In its media release issued on Sunday, IMD said, "Fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph likely over northeast India during next 5 days."

The Met office have predicted isolated heavy rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya during May 11 to 15, and over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during May 11 to 14 with isolated very heavy rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya on May 13 and 14. The IMD has forecasts of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Meghalaya on May 13.

According to the media release, light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning was observed at most places over Assam and Meghalaya, at many places over Arunachal Pradesh, and at a few places over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura in the last 24 hours.