Intense rainfall in India’s northern Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand has led to catastrophic floods and landslides, killing at least 58 people, including nine in a temple collapse in Shimla, as of Monday.
A record rainfall of 616.5 mm (24.3 inches) in less than 24 hours hammered Chityal of Bhupalapally district in Telangana on July 26 and 27, 2023, with at least 50 locations across the state recording over 200 mm (7.87 inches) of rainfall. The torrential downpours disrupted normal life, leading to flooding in low-lying areas.
In the late hours of July 19, 2023, a catastrophic landslide struck Irshalwadi, a tribal village in the Khalapur tehsil of Maharashtra’s Raigad district, claiming the lives of 16 individuals and leaving around 80 to 100 persons feared trapped. The landslide, triggered by three days of intense rainfall, buried approximately 40 homes and significantly hampered subsequent rescue operations.
In a week marked by record monsoon rains, northern India faced severe flooding that resulted in over 100 deaths, extensive property damage, and widespread disruption. The worst-hit region was the mountainous Himachal Pradesh state, where floodwaters claimed at least 88 lives and injured more than 100 people.
In the wake of record-breaking rainfall on Sunday, July 9, 2023, several regions in north India are battling extreme weather conditions. The deluge has claimed 15 lives through landslides and other rain-related incidents. Numerous rivers, including the Yamuna in Delhi, have breached their banks.
In an unusual meteorological event, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that this year’s monsoon has covered 80% of the country. The southwest monsoon, which typically follows a set path across the country, has shown an atypical pattern this year, covering most parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, and Haryana, and advancing to Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab.
As of June 21, 2023, heavy rains related to the recent Tropical Cyclone “Biparjoy” have resulted in at least 7 fatalities and mass evacuations in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. About 15 000 residents have been relocated from low-lying areas due to flooding.
In a severe heatwave that has hit the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India, at least 96 people have reportedly died from heat-aggravated conditions. Intriguingly, over half of these deaths have occurred in a single district, Ballia, prompting an investigation.
Floods triggered by the monsoon, which hit Assam on June 10, 2023, have so far impacted around 34 189 people, particularly in the Lakhimpur district. In the wake of breached embankments and significant rainfall, hectares of crops have been affected, prompting the establishment of relief measures.
On June 17, 2023, the Indian Army successfully rescued approximately 3 500 tourists stranded in Chungthang, North Sikkim after they were stuck in Lachen and Lachung areas following a massive landslide and flash floods triggered by heavy rain.
