A Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Goa was diverted to Bengaluru in the early hours of Tuesday (July 9) due to “poor visibility” at Manohar International Airport (MIA). Heavy showers were reported in Goa on Monday.
According to an official, the flight, QR522, which had arrived from Doha, was unable to land at Manohar International Airport in Mopa, North Goa, at 1:50 am due to low visibility.
After circling over MIA for 15-20 minutes, the flight was redirected to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the MIA official stated.
Heavy rain lashes Goa, IMD issues ‘red’ alert
Goa experienced heavy rainfall for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, resulting in waterlogging in low-lying areas and traffic congestion in the state capital Panaji and other cities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red alert’ for Goa, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in several places and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas, accompanied by strong surface winds across North Goa and South Goa districts.
The IMD predicts continuous rain with brief intense spells and winds gusting up to 50 kmph in the coastal state. Traffic jams were reported in major cities including Panaji, Margao, Ponda, and Vasco. The southwest monsoon remains vigorous over Goa, according to the IMD.