Heavy Rains Lash Lucknow, Raebareli; Schools Closed, IMD Issues Orange Alert

Lucknow and Raebareli witnessed heavy overnight rainfall, prompting authorities to announce school closures on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for 15 districts and a yellow alert for 29 others, warning of heavy to very heavy rain across large parts of Uttar Pradesh. In addition, 56 districts are under warning for thunderstorms and lightning.

According to Atul Kumar Singh, senior scientist at the Lucknow Meteorological Centre, a cyclonic circulation over northern Pakistan and adjoining Punjab has activated a western disturbance, shifting the monsoon trough northward. This change is expected to cause widespread heavy rainfall between August 31 and September 2. On Sunday, significant showers were reported in Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, and Bijnor.

In Awadh region, heavy rain began late Sunday night, forcing the closure of schools in Raebareli. Similarly, in Pilibhit, torrential downpours on Sunday led to severe waterlogging. Eight hours of continuous rain submerged roads under four feet of water, inundated residential areas, and forced the shutdown of markets. Schools up to class eight have been closed in the district.

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The IMD has issued an orange alert for districts including Lakhimpur Kheri, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Sambhal, and Badaun. Meanwhile, yellow alerts cover Lucknow, Raebareli, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad, Noida, and several others.

Meteorologists have also forecast above-normal rainfall for Uttar Pradesh in September. August already recorded slightly above-average rainfall, 4 percent higher in western UP and 1 percent higher in eastern UP. Bijnor saw the highest rainfall in the state with 636.5 mm, which was 113 percent above normal. Eastern UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri also recorded 417.9 mm, about 53 percent higher than the average.