- Heavy monsoon rains claim lives, trigger landslides, disrupt India.
- Maharashtra reports deaths; Kerala, Himachal, Delhi-NCR severely affected.
- Mumbai BMC studies tree falls; Delhi-NCR traffic, WFH issued.
- Rainfall deficit narrows; El Nino impact on monsoon monitored.
Heavy monsoon showers continued to wreak havoc across several parts of India, claiming lives, triggering landslides and causing widespread disruption to transport and daily life. Maharashtra remained among the worst-hit states, while Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and the Delhi-NCR region also faced the impact of relentless rainfall. In Maharashtra, at least 10 people have lost their lives in Palghar district since July 1, including three deaths reported over the past 24 hours. The state also witnessed a separate tragedy in Jalgaon district, where three teenagers drowned in a water-filled quarry near Amalner on Tuesday evening.
Police said the incident occurred after one of the teenagers reportedly slipped into the quarry while trying to take a selfie, prompting the others to enter the water in an attempt to help.
Maharashtra Records Rain-Related Deaths, BMC Orders Tree-Fall Study
As Mumbai continued to receive heavy showers, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a scientific study to determine why trees frequently collapse during the monsoon. The civic body will examine several factors, including whether extensive road concretisation is affecting tree roots and making them more vulnerable during heavy rains, as per reports.
The decision comes after three people, including an 11-year-old student, died in separate tree-fall incidents in Mumbai over the past week.
The BMC also unveiled new monsoon preparedness measures, saying annual inspections, maintenance work and mapping of manholes will begin every January to improve the city’s readiness before the rainy season.
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Kerala Landslide, Himachal Cloudburst Add To Monsoon Toll
The impact of the monsoon was also felt in Kerala, where a landslide struck the Kalladi tunnel construction site in Meppadi Grama Panchayat of Wayanad district on Tuesday.
The disaster claimed four lives, while six people remained missing as rescue efforts continued.
In Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst hit Kullu district the same day, washing away culverts and bridges. Although infrastructure suffered damage, authorities said no casualties had been reported.
Delhi-NCR Faces Waterlogging And Traffic Chaos
Persistent rainfall caused major disruption across Delhi and Gurugram, with roads inundated and long traffic snarls reported on Tuesday.
A section of the Delhi-Jaipur highway (NH-48) near Narsinghpur caved in, forcing authorities to shut two lanes and affecting traffic movement.
To reduce congestion, Gurugram Police advised corporate offices to permit employees to work from home wherever possible. Officials also cautioned that waterlogging was likely to persist at several key junctions and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding.
Meteorologists forecast intermittent heavy rain accompanied by strong winds over the coming days. While the showers brought relief from high humidity and lowered temperatures, authorities warned that they could continue to disrupt normal life.
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Rainfall Deficit Narrows As Monsoon Gains Strength
The Centre said the country’s rainfall deficit has narrowed to 12 per cent, supported by above-normal monsoon activity during the first week of July.
Officials also noted that El Nino years do not necessarily result in below-normal rainfall. A high-level meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra reviewed the progress of the kharif season and assessed preparedness measures.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurugram received the highest rainfall in Haryana over the past 24 hours at 80 mm, followed by Karnal with 78.5 mm. Gurugram also recorded the state’s lowest maximum temperature at 28°C, while Sirsa remained the hottest location at 40.8°C.
