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Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Heavy monsoon rains have caused widespread devastation across India, including Assam, West Bengal, Mumbai, and Delhi.
- Rivers have overflowed, highways have become waterways, and thousands of homes are damaged, displacing millions.
- The India Meteorological Department forecasts continued heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, with risks of flash floods and landslides in several regions.
India is grappling with severe disruptions and devastation as the annual monsoon unleashes relentless rainfall across the country. From the flood-ravaged plains of Assam to the rain-lashed hills of North Bengal, and from the submerged streets of Mumbai to the waterlogged neighborhoods of Delhi, millions have been pushed into uncertainty.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of continued active southwest monsoon conditions, predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in eastern, northeastern, and northern India. Fresh alerts highlight elevated risks of flash floods, landslides, and lightning strikes in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Odisha, and several Himalayan regions.
In Assam, the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries have inundated at least six districts, affecting over 40,000 people. Rescue teams are actively engaged in evacuating stranded residents by boat and distributing essential supplies as homes and farmlands lie submerged. Maharashtra has been particularly hard-hit, with severe flooding and landslides in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar, and the Konkan region, resulting in at least 13 fatalities from rain-related incidents.
India's capital, Delhi, has also experienced persistent downpours, leading to extensive waterlogging, traffic paralysis, and disruptions to daily life. A building collapse attributed to heavy rain claimed at least four lives in the city. Southern West Bengal districts, including Kolkata, have reported sustained rainfall and frequent thunderstorms, with lightning strikes causing casualties and prompting advisories for residents to avoid open areas during storms.
The agricultural and fisheries sectors have suffered significant losses, with thousands of hectares of crops destroyed and water bodies inundated. Tourism has also been impacted, leading to widespread cancellations in hill districts and coastal areas. Disaster management agencies across multiple states are intensifying rescue and relief operations, relocating vulnerable families and establishing temporary shelters to manage the ongoing crisis.
Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.