From the capital to the heartland, several Indian states have been battered by relentless rainfall over the last 48 hours, triggering wall collapses, house cave-ins, flooded roads, stranded residents, and even rescue operations involving the Army.
Delhi received heavy rain on Tuesday, breaching its monthly average for July. “So far this month, the city has recorded 220.2 mm of rainfall, exceeding the normal mark of 209.7 mm,” according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
A red alert was issued, and traffic snarls across the city followed. In the Civil Lines area, two people died and two were injured after the wall of an under-construction building collapsed due to rain.
Heavy rains continued into Tuesday, leading to a flood-like situation in several districts of Rajasthan. Rivers overflowed, forcing authorities to open gates of multiple dams. “Villages in low-lying areas downstream of the swollen rivers have been submerged,” the weather department said.
An elderly man died and his son was injured when their kutcha house collapsed in Kota. The state IMD issued rain alerts in 29 districts.
While Kolkata witnessed rainfall on Wednesday morning, districts like North 24 Parganas, Contai, and Canning recorded high rainfall levels over the last 24 hours. “Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district received the highest rainfall in West Bengal at 105 mm,” the IMD said.
Heavy rain is likely in multiple south Bengal districts till Thursday.
In Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district, a pregnant woman was carried on a cot through a slushy road as an ambulance couldn’t reach her home. Flood-like conditions gripped Shivpuri, where school children and others were stranded.
“The Army has been called in for rescue and relief work,” officials said. Guna district reported a culvert bridge collapse, and evacuations were underway.
A yellow alert for heavy rainfall was issued in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. According to the IMD, there is a possibility of thunderstorms and lightning in several districts. Nainital, Haridwar, and Dehradun are among the areas likely to be affected through at least August 1.
On Monday, anticipating flood risks, the State Emergency Operations Centre in Dehradun advised District Magistrates of vulnerable regions to take precautionary measures.
The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to heavy rain in Kashmir on Wednesday. “The Yatra has been halted for now as a safety measure,” a senior official said.