Monsoon hits India: Cloudburst in Himachal, landslides & heavy rain

The receding monsoon continues to wreak havoc across India, disrupting daily life and damaging crops and infrastructure. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Maharashtra are among the states bearing the brunt of these extreme weather patterns. The IMD has issued an orange alert for intense rainfall over Madhya Maharashtra, Bihar, Goa, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, East Himalayan, Gujarat, east Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Cloudburst in Himachal, landslide in Uttarakhand

Heavy rainfall on Wednesday night caused a devastating cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district, resulting in one death. The cloudburst occurred in the Kando Kansar forest of Paonta Sahib around 1 am, causing flash floods and inundation in nearby villages. Villagers in Paddoooni had to climb onto their roofs as debris-laden floodwaters swept through their homes.

The torrential downpour severely impacted agricultural lands, destroying about 500 acres of paddy crop. Floodwaters decimated paddy fields on 1,000 bighas in Panchbhaiya's ravine. Meanwhile, the Bata River's water level surged dangerously, threatening local infrastructure, including a nearby bridge. Authorities opened four floodgates of the Jaton Barrage early Thursday as the Giri River's water level rose rapidly.

In Sirmaur district’s Dhaula Kuan, 275 mm of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours, marking the highest September rainfall since 2010.

In Uttarakhand, heavy rainfall triggered landslides that disrupted the Char Dham Yatra, stranding thousands of pilgrims. A landslide between Khankra and Narkota on the Badrinath Highway caused a 10-kilometer traffic jam on Thursday. Over 5,000 passengers in around 900 vehicles were stranded as the highway remained blocked for 11 hours.

Landslides in Chatwapipal and Kameda disrupted traffic, leaving 2,000 passengers stranded. The lack of food and water, compounded by the absence of shops, exacerbated the plight of stranded pilgrims and travellers.

In Pithoragarh, landslide debris closed the Tawaghat highway for eight hours, stranding 28 Kailash pilgrims. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in several Uttarakhand districts on Friday, cautioning residents about potential landslides and disruptions.

Heavy rain and red alert issued

Mumbai experienced a sudden downpour on Wednesday evening, resulting in severe waterlogging and traffic chaos. Commuters faced long delays due to inundated roads during rush hour, adding to the woes of those returning from work.

The IMD has issued a red alert for the Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts, warning them of continued heavy rainfall. Authorities urged residents to stay indoors and take precautions against potential flooding.

In Bihar, intermittent rainfall is expected in several districts, including Patna, until October 2. The IMD has issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in Sitamarhi, Shivhar, East, and West Champaran districts over the next 24 hours. A yellow alert for heavy rainfall is in effect for 10 more districts.

The Weather Department predicts severe rainfall in Uttarakhand and East Uttar Pradesh on 27-28 Sept. Himachal Pradesh may have the same conditions on 27 Sept. West Uttar Pradesh may have isolated heavy showers on 27 Sept.