New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): Continuing with the heavy to very heavy rainfall spell over northeast and parts of east India, widespread, heavy to very heavy rainfall would continue for next 3-4 days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Thursday.
"Due to strong southwesterly winds from Bay of Bengal to northeast and adjoining east India at lower tropospheric levels, widespread light/moderate rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is very likely over Arunachal Pradesh on May 19 to 21, over Assam, Meghalaya, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim during May 19 to 22 and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Meghalaya on May 19 and 21," the IMD bulletin said.
The rainfall activity is very likely to decrease thereafter, it said. "There would be a decrease in rainfall/thunderstorm activity over northeast India from May 26 onwards."
Meanwhile, isolated to scattered light rainfall with isolated thunderstorm/lightning/ gusty winds are likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, and Odisha during most days of the week.
Light isolated rainfall/thunderstorm is also likely over central parts of the country after Monday.
Earlier in the week ending on Wednesday, the time of IMD's extended range forecast, convergence of strong southerlies/southwesterlies from Bay of Bengal causing moisture incursion over the region and an east-west trough in lower tropospheric levels which lay extending from plains of northwest India to northeast India on most of the days had caused fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm activity over northeast India and adjoining areas of east India throughout the week.
Under their influence, isolated extremely heavy rainfall had been reported over Assam and Meghalaya on all the days of the week whereas isolated heavy/very heavy rainfall activity was reported from remaining parts of northeast India and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on most of the days of the week.
Several areas in Assam were flooded and led to loss of life and damage to property and infrastructure.