Thursday, 14 August 2025
Thursday, 14 August 2025
India is currently experiencing an active and widespread monsoon across various regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows the country has recorded normal rainfall so far this monsoon season, but the distribution is highly uneven across states.
A cloudburst was reported in Jammu and Kashmir's Chositi area of Kishtwar on Thursday. The extent of damage and any possible casualties are still being assessed by authorities.Rescue teams have been rushed to the spot.
On August 13, IMD forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next seven days across states including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Northeast India, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh.
For Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, there’s an orange alert, with Uttarakhand expected to experience heavy to very heavy downpours between August 10 and 14. Himachal Pradesh is expected to continue receiving heavy rain through August 11 to 14.
There’s an orange alert for several districts of Odisha like Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, and Nabarangpur from August 12 to 14.
For Telangana, there are rainfall warnings in place until August 17, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected at isolated places. For Telangana, rainfall is expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Between June 1 and August 10, the country recorded 539 mm of rain against a normal of 535.6 mm, about 1 per cent above the long-period average.
Of the 36 States and Union Territories for which the IMD provides figures, 25 are in the “normal” category (within 19 per cent of the long-period average), five are “deficient” (20 to 59 per cent below normal), five are in the “excess” category (20 to 59 per cent above normal) and one (Ladakh) is in the “large excess” category (more than 60 per cent above normal).
No state or union territory is in the cumulative “large deficient” category for the period. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Bihar have recorded seasonal shortfalls, reports PTI.
Massive cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar
At least 12 persons are feared dead in a massive cloudburst that struck a remote village en route the Machail Mata yatra in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.
The cloudburst hit Chasoti, the last motorable village en route to the shrine.
The control room has been set up in Paddar, about 15 km from Chositi village where the disaster struck. Five officials have been put on duty for the control room. The numbers provided are: 9858223125, 6006701934, 9797504078, 8492886895, 8493801381, and 7006463710.
Besides these, the district control room numbers are 01995-259555 and 9484217492, and the police control room number of Kishtwar is 9906154100.
"Spoke with the LG and Chief Minister of J&K on the cloudburst in Kishtwar district. The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations. NDRF teams have promptly been rushed to the site," Amit Shah wrote on 'X'.
The home minister said the central government is closely monitoring the situation and stand firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir through every situation. "Assured of all possible assistance to the people in need," he said.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha condoled the loss of lives in the incident.
"Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families & prayers for quick recovery of injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF & SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue & relief operations and ensure all possible assistance is provided to the affected," he said on X.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he spoke to Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma on the matter.
"A massive Cloud burst in Chositi area, which could result in substantial casualty. Administration has immediately swung into action, rescue team has left for the site", he said on X.
Deputy commissioner, Kishtwar, Pankaj Kumar Sharma along with Senior Superintendent of Police Naresh Singh are also on way to the cloudburst-hit area to supervise the rescue operation, the officials said.
They said a team of officials led by Sub-divisional magistrate, Padder have reached the scene and so far 10 persons are believed to have died in the cloudburst.
The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has issued a Nowcast alert warning of moderate to heavy rainfall over the next four to six hours across several parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities have cautioned about the potential for cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones, especially in hilly and vulnerable areas.
The regions likely to be impacted include Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Srinagar, Ganderbal, and the hilly areas of Budgam, along with parts of Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Jammu, Doda, and Kishtwar.
Orange alert for Delhi
Heavy rain brought Delhi to a standstill on Thursday morning, leaving roads waterlogged and traffic gridlocked.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert, warning of more rain during the day.
Issuing the 'orange' alert for Delhi, which means "be prepared", the IMD warned of moderate to heavy rainfall during the day, along with thunderstorms and lightning in several parts of the capital.
Delhi Traffic Police took to X to warn commuters about waterlogged areas.
"Due to the recent rains causing waterlogging at GTK Depot, Jahangirpuri, and Adarsh Nagar, traffic on Old GT Road is likely to be severely affected. To avoid congestion, commuters are advised to avoid taking Old GT Road and are requested to plan accordingly or take alternate routes," it said in a post.
AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed the Delhi government for the waterlogging, saying it did not undertake desilting of drains despite a court order.
"Gai bhains paani mein, humari car bhi paani mein hai," he said sarcastically using a popular Hindi idiom to say that his car was submerged.
Flights from Hyderabad cancelled
Several flights to and from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport were cancelled or diverted on Wednesday due to unfavourable weather conditions, airport sources said.
IndiGo flights to Kochi, Chennai, Patna and Ahmedabad—and return services from these destinations—were cancelled, they added.
As many as 11 flights were diverted to other airports. Seven of them later returned and landed in Hyderabad by evening.
The IMD said a 'red alert' has been issued for various parts of Telangana until Thursday.
Chief minister A Revanth Reddy had directed the authorities to be prepared for the next 72 hours in view of the forecast of heavy rains by the India Meteorological Department.
He asked the officials to make all efforts to prevent loss of human life and livestock.
He also ordered cancellation of leave of all officers and staff in view of the forecast of heavy rains for a few days beginning Wednesday.
Himachal Pradesh worst affected by rain
Several bridges were washed away in Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed across Himachal Pradesh following fresh incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods in the hill state.
The local MeT office has issued an orange alert for likely heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the three districts of Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi on Thursday, and a yellow alert of heavy rain in isolated areas of four to six districts from Friday to Sunday.
Reports of uprooting of trees also came in from some other parts of Shimla city.
The Army rescued four people, including one injured, in Kinnaur district after flash floods hit the higher reaches of Rishi Dogri valley on Wednesday evening.
As many as 126 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state this monsoon season, while 36 are missing. The state has witnessed 63 flash flood incidents, 31 cloudbursts and 57 major landslides so far.
Flood inflows lash Andhra Pradesh
Heavy rains lashed Vijayawada, leaving several areas waterlogged, and a 51-year-old man died after he accidentally fell into an underground drainage, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation said on Thursday.
The IMD said a low-pressure area persists over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off the north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to take precautionary measures.
"Officials should take precautionary measures and sudden flood inflows from streams and rivulets in the Krishna River basin must be monitored continuously," the CM said in an official release on Wednesday.
Police stop Kedarnath pilgrims amid heavy rain alert
Police on Wednesday wielded lathis to chase away people adamant on visiting Kedarnath despite a three-day suspension imposed on the yatra in view of a heavy rain warning till August 14.
The district administration has suspended the yatra for three days in view of an alert issued by the weather department for heavy rain in various parts of the state on August 12, 13 and 14.
However on Wednesday, around 150 pilgrims reached Sonprayag and tried to proceed to Kedarnath from there, Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde said.
He also said that when the pilgrims were told about the temporary suspension of the yatra, they got into a scuffle with the police personnel.
