New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh warning for ‘low to moderate’ flash flood risk in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim, following intense rainfall activity and high soil saturation levels.

In its latest National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin, the IMD predicted very heavy rainfall of up to 180 mm in the next 24 hours across vulnerable watersheds and low-lying regions. This warning comes after up to 62 mm of rainfall was recorded in the Area of Concern (AoC) over the past 24 hours.

Which states and districts are most affected?

In Himachal Pradesh, the districts of Shimla and Sirmaur have been placed under low to moderate risk for flash floods.

In Uttarakhand, several districts are on alert, including Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, and Uttarkashi. Notably, Uttarkashi recently experienced flash floods in the Sukhi Top and Harsil areas, where rescue operations were underway for several days.

In Bihar, the districts of Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, and Supaul are at risk. In West Bengal, sub-Himalayan districts such as Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kochbihar, and Uttar Dinajpur are affected, along with all four districts of Sikkim — East, West, North, and South Sikkim.

According to the bulletin, rainfall levels reached up to 51 mm in six hours and 62 mm in 24 hours in some watersheds. This has contributed to soil saturation levels of 85 percent to 99 percent in the AoC, significantly raising the potential for surface runoff and waterlogging. “Surface runoff/Inundation may occur at some fully saturated soils & low-lying areas over Area of Concern (AoC) as shown in map due to expected rainfall occurrence in next 24 hours,” the IMD stated.

The Land Surface Model also indicated near-total saturation in key watersheds across the AoC, with up to 50 percent saturation reported across other parts of the country.

Regional meteorological centres in New Delhi, Kolkata, Shimla, Dehradun, Patna, and Gangtok, along with Flood Meteorological Offices (FMOs), have received the bulletin and are closely monitoring the situation.

With ANI inputs