Torrential monsoon rain lashed large parts of India on Wednesday and Thursday, setting off flash floods, landslides, a building collapse and major disruption to road and rail movement across several states. Rescue teams were deployed in multiple locations, thousands were moved from flood-affected areas, and the India Meteorological Department warned that more heavy rain was likely in several regions.
Amid the worsening weather, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation and said the Centre would extend all possible assistance. The impact was felt across Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan, with authorities remaining on alert as the monsoon strengthened further.
Delhi recorded one of its heaviest spells of rain this season overnight, leaving several neighbourhoods waterlogged and slowing traffic across the city. The IMD issued red and orange alerts and warned of thunderstorms, intense rain and lightning. By 8.30 am, Mayur Vihar had received 102 mm of rain over the previous 24 hours, followed by Pusa with 83 mm, Lodhi Road with 80 mm and Safdarjung with 72.6 mm.
In Rohini, three people died after a newly built four-storey structure collapsed. A preliminary assessment by the civic body said plumbing work was going on inside the building and that drilling or cutting of structural parts, including beams and columns, may have led to the collapse. Officials have not linked the incident to the rain.
Elsewhere in the capital, severe waterlogging was reported from Sadar Bazar, Nasirpur, Greater Kailash, Badarpur, Teliwara, Mahavir Bazar, Swarup Nagar and Kushak Road. Traffic moved very slowly on Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and NH-48, especially near Dhaula Kuan, Mahipalpur and Rajokri.
The Delhi Fire Service attended calls about uprooted trees in East of Kailash, while civic agencies received several complaints about waterlogging, fallen trees and power cuts. The Delhi government said long-standing flooding points such as Minto Bridge and ITO did not see waterlogging this time.
Heavy rain also disrupted life in neighbouring Gurugram, where waterlogging stranded vehicles and reduced traffic to a crawl on key roads. Congestion was reported on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Basai, Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, Kadipur, Sector 10A and Sohna Road, among other stretches.
In Maharashtra, rescue work continued in Pimpri Chinchwad after a huge garbage mound gave way following heavy rain, with 11 people feared trapped. Mumbai was hit by another round of heavy showers and thunderstorms after a brief pause, delaying suburban train services and affecting office-goers.
Long-distance trains headed for Gujarat were still disrupted because of waterlogging in the Vasai-Virar section and at several places in south Gujarat. Services on the Mumbai-Pune route were also affected after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section.
Gujarat's Surat remained under severe strain from torrential rain and flooding. Officials said at least nine people had died in rain-related incidents over the past few days. Thousands of residents from low-lying areas were shifted to safer places, and food packets were distributed to people stranded in waterlogged high-rise buildings. Many parts of the city remained inundated as the rain persisted.
In Kerala's Wayanad district, search operations continued for five people who went missing after a rain-soaked mound of excavated earth collapsed at a tunnel project site. Chief Minister V D Satheesan visited the spot to review the rescue work, which was being hampered by intermittent rain.
In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain triggered flash floods in parts of Doda district, leading to emergency response measures. The worsening weather there was also discussed by Amit Shah with the state's chief minister.
In Rajasthan, the southwest monsoon remained active, with Ramganj Mandi in Kota district recording the state's highest rainfall at 10 cm. The IMD has forecast more rain in several districts over the next two to three days, raising the possibility of further flooding and disruption. With the monsoon intensifying across northern, western and southern India, authorities in several states continued to monitor the situation closely while more heavy rainfall was forecast in the days ahead.
Source: India Today