The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alerts across parts of South and East India today, September 21. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely to continue through Tuesday, September 22. Students and parents should plan commutes early and check exam-centre access. District administrations have activated preparedness protocols across sensitive belts.
An evolving low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is steering deep moisture into Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and south Odisha. IMD offices caution of heavy to very heavy rainfall pockets through Tuesday. The axis is expected to shift inland on Tuesday. Southern Odisha districts face escalating risk from September 22.
IMD orange alert: which states are affected today?
Tamil Nadu has an orange alert in Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai and Thanjavur today. IMD also placed Telangana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh under orange for the next two to three days. Kerala maintained widespread yellow alerts after Sunday’s orange in Idukki and Kottayam. Karnataka faces statewide heavy-rain alerts. Odisha turns orange as the system strengthens.
| State | Today (Sep 21) | Next 48 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | Orange in Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Thanjavur | Showers persist; intensity eases by Tuesday |
| Telangana | Orange in parts; district intensity varies | Heavy to very heavy pockets likely |
| Coastal Andhra Pradesh | Orange risk flagged | Very heavy rain likely Sep 22–23 |
| Karnataka | Heavy rain, mostly yellow | Widespread rain likely till Sep 24 |
| Kerala | Yellow in many districts | Isolated heavy showers continue |
| Odisha | Thunderstorm risk today | Orange over south districts from Sep 22 |
IMD orange alert districts to watch through Sep 22
Students in Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai and Thanjavur should expect short, intense spells and traffic snarls. Kerala’s Idukki and Kottayam, under orange on Sunday, may still see saturated slopes. South Odisha’s Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur turn riskier from Tuesday. Coastal Andhra belts face very heavy rain potential on Tuesday.
Heavy rain commute and exam-centre plan for students
City forecasts can differ from state alerts; Hyderabad, for instance, shows no city warning today despite a state orange. Leave 30–60 minutes earlier for exams, carry waterproof ID copies, and avoid underpasses during cloudbursts. Track flash-flood guidance before starting and prefer metro or rail where available.
Track IMD warnings and hyperlocal flash-flood risk
Use IMD’s Mausam app for district alerts, Damini for lightning, and the district-wise GIS map for colour-coded warnings. Check Nowcast every three hours for thunderstorm shifts. For school or college updates, follow district administrations and education departments on official channels before heading out.
Over the next 24–48 hours, plan travel around orange belts, especially for Monday–Tuesday exams. Confirm venue access, buffer your arrival, and keep power banks and rain covers handy. If you study in a flood-prone area, save helpline numbers and monitor IMD dashboards morning and evening for last-minute changes.
