Pune, July 19 : The India Meteorological Department, Pune, has sounded a red alert for six districts and orange alerts in another nine districts of the state with a forecast of very heavy rain on Friday, an official said.

The six districts under red alert include Ratnagiri, Pune, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia, while the 9 issued an orange alert comprise Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Pune, Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur.

For Saturday, the orange alert will be valid in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Amravati, Yavatmal, Wardha, Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia.

However, Ratnagiri and Raigad will continue in orange alert for Sunday, though a majority of the other districts shall enter the yellow or green zone.

The coastal Konkan region, parts of eastern Vidarbha region and western Maharashtra have been witnessing torrential rains in the past 72 hours, heralding a boon for the anxious farming community.

It has also proved to be a bane for people living in many towns or villages in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur where the low-lying areas were inundated under 3-5 feet water, several big and small local rivers in raging floods and the continuing downpour severely disrupting normal life.

/IANS