Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to lash large parts of India on Wednesday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue red and orange alerts across several states. Flooding, landslides, transport disruptions and industrial shutdowns have been reported as multiple weather systems intensified rainfall across the country.

The IMD said a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is moving across Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, while the monsoon trough remains active. The weather office has forecast above-normal rainfall over Northwest and Central India for the next four to five days and heavy rainfall across Eastern India for up to six days, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides.

Red Alert for Central India

The IMD has issued a red alert for parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, warning of extremely heavy rainfall in several districts. In Madhya Pradesh, districts including Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara, Narmadapuram and Raisen are likely to receive intense rainfall over the next 24 hours.

Heavy rain warnings have also been issued for Dewas, Sehore, Harda, Betul, Pandhurna, Sagar, Narsinghpur, Damoh, Jabalpur and Chhatarpur, while moderate to heavy showers are expected in more than 40 districts, including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Rewa and Shahdol.

The Meteorological Department has said the current spell of heavy rain is likely to continue in the state until August 1.

Gujarat Flooding Hits Tata Motors Plant

Continuous rainfall and flooding in Gujarat have disrupted operations at Tata Motors' Sanand manufacturing plant and several nearby supplier units.

The company said production of the Tiago, Tigor, Nexon and Sierra models has been temporarily affected after floodwaters entered the industrial area. Restoration work is underway, and operations are expected to resume once conditions improve. The temporary disruption may impact vehicle deliveries.

Maruti Suzuki, however, said its manufacturing facility at Hansalpur-Becharaji has not been affected.

Char Dham Yatra Suspended

In Uttarakhand, landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have blocked several pilgrimage routes. As a precaution, authorities have suspended the Char Dham Yatra for two days.

Heavy rain alerts have been issued for eight districts, with forecasts of thunderstorms, lightning and intense rainfall. Schools and Anganwadi centres in Champawat, Bageshwar and Tehri have also been closed.

The IMD has warned that adverse weather conditions are expected to persist across the hill state until August 5.

Rain Causes Urban Flooding

Heavy rainfall also affected several cities across northern India.

In Delhi, waterlogging in several markets and major roads led to long traffic jams and disrupted daily commuting.

In Punjab and Chandigarh, orange and yellow alerts remain in force after overnight rain brought temperatures down by nearly 3 degrees Celsius.

Flood Situation in Assam

Flood conditions remain critical in Assam, where the death toll has risen to 75.

According to state authorities, over 3.32 lakh people across seven districts continue to be affected, while more than 45,000 hectares of agricultural land remain submerged.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced financial assistance for affected families, including compensation for those who lost relatives in the floods and support for displaced students.

Rain Alerts Across States

The IMD has also issued rainfall alerts for several other states:

• Orange Alert: Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, East Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Central Maharashtra and Karnataka.

• Yellow Alert: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Konkan-Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

In Rajasthan, rain alerts have been issued for 22 districts, while Bihar remains under a yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning in 13 districts. Parts of Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), Khagaria (Bihar) and Gariaband (Chhattisgarh) also reported waterlogging and local flooding.

Authorities have advised residents in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel and follow local administration advisories until weather conditions improve.