Monsoon fury grips India as over 18 states face heavy rainfall alerts, while mountains battle landslides, blocked roads, and severe weather disruptions.
Delhi witnesses continuous showers with thunderstorms, whereas Uttarakhand suffers major road closures amid rising landslide risks and challenging travel conditions.
Gujarat, Konkan, and Madhya Maharashtra receive red alerts as extremely heavy rainfall threatens flooding, infrastructure damage, and public safety concerns.
Weather department warns of intense rain, lightning, and strong winds across several states, urging citizens to remain cautious and follow advisories.
Farmers advised to protect crops, ensure drainage, and avoid chemical spraying as active monsoon conditions continue affecting agricultural regions nationwide.
The southwest monsoon has once again intensified across large parts of India, bringing widespread rainfall, flooding concerns, and travel disruptions from the Himalayan region to the western coast and central plains. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a combination of an active monsoon trough, a western disturbance over northwest India, and cyclonic circulations in the upper atmosphere has created conditions for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across more than 18 states.
The weather systems are expected to trigger intense rain over northern, western, central, and eastern India, prompting authorities to issue red, orange, and yellow alerts in several regions. Officials have urged residents to remain vigilant as the spell of adverse weather is likely to continue over the coming days.
The national capital witnessed steady rainfall from the morning hours, with cloudy skies expected to persist throughout the day. The IMD has forecast intermittent showers accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching 20 to 30 kmph in many parts of the city. Light rain or drizzle may continue into the evening and night.
The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 31°C and 33°C, while the minimum may hover between 24°C and 26°C. Although the rainfall is likely to provide relief from humid conditions, waterlogging and traffic congestion are anticipated in several low-lying areas, prompting authorities to advise commuters to avoid unnecessary travel.
Continuous rainfall has severely affected normal life in Uttarakhand, where 142 roads have been closed following landslides and debris accumulation. Mountain districts, including Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Nainital, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh, remain under a yellow alert for heavy rainfall.
Officials have warned that the risk of fresh landslides remains high in vulnerable hill regions. Residents and tourists have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and strictly follow administrative advisories until weather conditions improve.
The IMD has placed Gujarat, Konkan and Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra under a red alert, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm in isolated locations. The persistent downpour could result in urban flooding, overflowing rivers, and disruption of transport and essential services.
Orange alerts have also been issued for Chhattisgarh, eastern Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, and Vidarbha, where very heavy rainfall is expected. Meanwhile, yellow alerts remain in force across Assam and Meghalaya, Bihar, the Gangetic plains of West Bengal, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Marathwada, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and western Rajasthan.
Apart from heavy rainfall, several states are likely to experience thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds. Andhra Pradesh, north interior Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu may witness winds of 40 to 50 kmph, while Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, and neighbouring regions are expected to experience gusts of 30 to 40 kmph.
Weather experts have advised people to avoid open spaces, isolated trees, and electric poles during lightning activity. Farmers and outdoor workers have also been urged to exercise caution during thunderstorms.
During the past 24 hours, Amritsar in Punjab recorded the highest rainfall in the country at 180 mm. Significant rainfall was also reported from Haldia in West Bengal, Ambikapur and Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, Keonjhar and Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Akola and Nagpur in Vidarbha, Vadodara in Gujarat, and Jammu and Katra in the northern region.
Temperature patterns also reflected the contrasting impact of the monsoon. Madurai in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest maximum temperature of 40.4°C on Tuesday, while Haflong in Assam registered the country's lowest minimum temperature at 18°C.
Authorities have appealed to the public to stay away from waterlogged roads, swollen rivers, and fast-flowing streams during periods of intense rainfall. Motorists have been advised to drive cautiously, reduce speed, and maintain safe distances on slippery roads. Those planning to visit hilly areas have been asked to check weather updates before travelling.
For farmers, experts have recommended ensuring proper drainage in agricultural fields to prevent waterlogging. Harvest-ready crops should be moved to safe storage, while spraying of fertilisers and pesticides should be postponed until the rain subsides. Adequate support should be provided to tall crops such as maize, sugarcane, and banana to minimise wind damage, and livestock should be sheltered in dry, secure locations.
With the monsoon expected to remain active over the next few days, authorities continue to monitor the evolving weather situation closely. Citizens have been urged to stay informed through official forecasts, follow local advisories, and take necessary precautions to minimise the risk to life and property.