Gujarat is bracing for intense rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds over the next 24 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for several districts.

The warning follows the simultaneous activation of multiple weather systems influencing the region.

According to the latest IMD bulletin, districts under the red alert include Bhavnagar, Amreli, Ahmedabad, Anand, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra Nagar Haveli.

These areas are expected to experience severe thunderstorms, lightning, and surface winds reaching 60-70 kmph in gusts, along with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations.

Superintendent of Police and Nodal Officer for Community Policing, Pankaj Chaudhary (IPS), on Wednesday, conducted a series of awareness and training sessions on a possible enemy attack preparedness across schools and slum areas in Jaipur.

The programme aimed to educate students, teachers, and local residents on emergency response measures such as air raid sirens and blackout procedures.

The first session was held at 9:30 AM at The Cambridge School, Mahesh Nagar, as part of a public awareness campaign. The event began with the National Anthem and was attended by the school staff, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, social workers, media personnel, and the Mahesh Nagar Police Station team.

Seven civilians were killed and 38 others injured on Wednesday in indiscriminate mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army on the Line of Control (LoC) as Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the evacuation of the civilian population from vulnerable areas to safer locations.

The L-G said on X, "Took stock of the situation in border districts of J&K UT with all the senior administrative, police & district officials including DCs of all the border districts. I'm closely monitoring the situation & govt is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality. I've also directed the DCs for shifting of villagers from vulnerable areas to safer locations and ensuring boarding, lodging, food, medicare and transportation. We will ensure safety of every citizen.”

A high alert has been sounded in all border areas of Rajasthan after India's airstrikes on Pakistan-based terror bases. Also, Bikaner and Jodhpur airports have been closed.

At the same time, a holiday has been declared in schools today in border cities, including Bikaner, Barmer and Jaisalmer, on the orders of the District Collector. In Bikaner, government employees' leaves have been cancelled, and they have been ordered not to leave the headquarters.

India has carried out airstrikes at nine places in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Bahawalpur, Pakistan, was attacked, where hideouts of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed are located.

Bahawalpur is about 100 km from the Rajasthan-Pakistan border.

Meanwhile Air India in its tweet said, "In view of the prevailing situation, Air India has cancelled all its flights to and from the following stations – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot – till 12 noon on 7 May, pending further updates from authorities. Two international flights en route to Amritsar are being diverted to Delhi. We regret the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen disruption."

The northeastern states would join in the nationwide civil defence mock drill on Wednesday.

The mock exercise is being conducted at more than 244 locations across the country on the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as part of heightened security measures following the April 22 terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 innocent civilians, mostly tourists, were killed.

As per the MHA directives, the civil defence mock drill would be conducted in 52 districts in eight northeastern states.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted extensive raids at five different locations across Chennai, targeting environmental consultancy firms and individuals linked to the healthcare sector.

The searches, carried out simultaneously in Koyambedu, Ashok Nagar, Saidapet, Virugambakkam, and Mylapore, were part of an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities.

Separate ED teams, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, reached the targeted locations early in the morning.

Among the prominent sites searched was the office of EHS360Labs Pvt Ltd in Ashok Nagar. ED sleuths also raided the residences of Alankanathan, Director of Alenkar Infra Business Alliance and Ensys Technologies, located in Saidapet.

Making its first move in the Rs 65 crore Mithi River desilting scam, the Mumbai Police registered an FIR and conducted searches at eight locations targeting suspects, including contractors and civic officials.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Sangramsingh Nishandar said the FIR was registered at Azad Maidan Police Station following preliminary findings that pointed towards “culpability”.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials and contractors are accused of bogus billing and release of funds without physical desilting being done in the river – a major reason for rainwater not flowing into the river and causing flooding in areas along the banks.

At least 14 people lost their lives while 16 others were injured as unseasonal rain, fierce winds, and dust storms battered parts of Gujarat, disrupting daily life at the height of the summer season.

As per the official data recorded between May 4 and 6, the worst-hit region was Kheda district, where two people were crushed under fallen trees and two others died when a building and a temporary roof collapsed.

An official said that in Vadodara, three fatalities were reported, two from electrocution and one caused by a falling hoarding.

“Two deaths each were reported from Ahmedabad, Aravalli, and Dahod. Lightning strikes were responsible for both fatalities in Aravalli, while in Dahod, victims died due to uprooted trees,” the official said.

Four people were killed while 42 others were injured on Tuesday in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Poonch district.

Officials said that a bus carrying passengers met with an accident near Ghani Mendhar in Poonch district on Tuesday.

“Two passengers died on the spot while two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital where they had been shifted for treatment.

“A massive relief and rescue operation was started immediately after the news of the accident was received.

“Locals immediately launched a rescue operation at the site and were aided by the police, Indian Army and CRPF personnel.

“Among the four deceased persons, one was an Army personnel of the 41 Assam Rifles identified as Abdul Majeed son of Abdul Aziz resident of Ghani Mendhar," officials said.

After decades of lingering uncertainty, the disposal of "307 tonnes of toxic waste" (earlier 347 tonnes) from the infamous Bhopal gas tragedy has begun in Pithampur.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had already issued directives in this regard earlier.

"The process began from evening on Monday," a senior officer in the MP Pollution Control Board told, adding, "The incineration is proceeding at a steady rate of 270 kilograms per hour at the facility, with environmental safeguards firmly in place.

A continuous online monitoring system has been installed to track emissions, ensuring compliance with pollution control regulations. The total process will take 50-55 days or even a few more days."

The toxic waste is being disposed of at a private facility.

To further mitigate environmental risks, experts are closely observing four key pollutants - particulate mercury, heavy matter, hydrogen chloride, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide - emitted during the burning process.