Heavy Rainfall Alert: IMD Forecasts Intense Monsoon Showers Across Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a critical alert as India prepares for an intensified monsoon, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall through July 28, 2025, across Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. The forecast has raised worries about flooding, travel delays, and infrastructure issues in these areas because thunderstorms and lightning are predicted to accompany the downpours. This weather alert, which follows a stormy Monsoon Session and events like the Air India runway scare in Mumbai, highlights the country’s battle with nature’s wrath and urgently calls into question preparedness and resilience.
A strong monsoon trough and a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal are causing “fairly widespread” rainfall in eastern and central India, according to the IMD’s bulletin, which was released on July 22, 2025. While Gangetic West Bengal and Jharkhand may experience intense spells of 80–100 mm of rainfall, Chhattisgarh and Odisha are under an orange alert, with isolated areas expected to see rainfall exceeding 115 mm. Additional hazards include thunderstorms and lightning, especially in rural areas with inadequate infrastructure. Strong winds of 40 to 50 kmph are also warned by the IMD, which could interfere with agriculture and power lines in these states.
This prediction comes after recent monsoon-related chaos, such as the waterlogging in Mumbai and the July 21 Air India flight incident, in which heavy rain caused a runway excursion. Thousands of people were displaced by recent floods in Odisha’s Balasore and Mayurbhanj, and landslides were reported in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. State governments have mobilized disaster response teams in response to the IMD’s alert, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of Odisha has instructed officials to get ready for possible evacuations. Authorities in Jharkhand are keeping an eye on river levels out of concern that Ranchi’s flooding from the previous year might happen again. West Bengal’s urban infrastructure is already under stress due to waterlogging in Kolkata.
The intense rains coincide with a contentious political moment as Parliament was adjourned to discuss the Income Tax Bill 2025 and Operation Sindoor. The effects of the weather may increase public annoyance, particularly in rural regions where farmers rely on consistent conditions for Kharif crops. Given India’s susceptibility to climate-driven extreme weather, experts call for improved infrastructure and more robust early warning systems. Posts on X express the public’s growing concern and demand for improved flood control.
The IMD’s prediction is a sobering reminder of India’s monsoon problems as these states prepare for the flood. Will preventative actions lessen the dangers, or will the rains overwhelm areas that aren’t ready? India’s ability to manage political unrest and natural disasters will be put to the test in the days ahead as the entire country watches.
