New Delhi, Aug. 26 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a red alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms for several districts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The heavy rain warning has been issued over these states for the next two years.

"Red nowcast warning valid for next 2hours with possibility of heavy spells (> 15mm/hr) with thunderstorms for most districts of Jammu & Kashmir, some districts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and coastal Andhra Pradesh," the weather agency.

The Met Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over Northwest India, with extremely heavy falls over the Jammu region and northwest Punjab today, August 26.

However, the very heav...