LUCKNOW, July 27 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued an orange alert for seven districts of Uttar Pradesh, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next three days as monsoon activity intensifies. The weather office also said the state's 25% rainfall deficit is expected to shrink with widespread rain forecast across the state.

An orange alert has been issued for Sonbhadra, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur and Bareilly districts, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at isolated places.

A yellow alert for heavy rainfall has been issued for 18 districts, including Banda, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Lakhimpur Kheri, Meerut, Pilibhit, Sambhal, Budaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba,...