Met dept forecasts downpour in Assam for next 5 days, issues 'red' alert
Guwahati, Jun 18: The India Meteorological Department on Sunday issued a 'red' alert, predicting very heavy rainfall across several districts of Assam in the next five days.
The warning comes at a time when Assam is witnessing the first wave of flood this year due to incessant rain across the state in the last few days.
In a special weather bulletin, IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati issued the 'red' alert for Sunday and Monday with prediction of "heavy (7-11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy (11-20 cm in 24 hrs) with extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm in 24 hours)" in lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta and Bongaigaon.
During the same period, "heavy to very heavy" rainfall is likely in Dhubri, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Nalbari, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Goalpara and Karimganj districts, it added.
The RMC has issued an 'orange' alert for Tuesday, and a 'yellow' warning for the subsequent two days.
'Red' alert signifies taking immediate action, while the 'orange' warning implies to be prepared for action and the 'yellow' one stands for watch and be updated.
"Moisture incursion is very likely to continue due to strong low-level Southerly/Southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal to Northeast India during the next five days.
"Under its influence, fairly widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rainfall/thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to continue over Assam during the next five days," RMC said in the bulletin.
It also said temporary disruption of traffic due to water logging in roads, and uprooting of trees are likely to happen.
The uprooting of trees may cause power supply disruption.
"Heavy rainfall may damage the standing crops and vegetables in the maturity stage. Lightning may injure people and cattle in open places," the report said, adding that flash floods and landslides are also likely to occur in many areas.
The bulletin also said that there is a likelihood of moderate flash floods over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Assam and Meghalaya.
According to an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report, 37,535 people in 10 districts of the state have been affected by the flood till Saturday.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
