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.
Tomato prices in India have surged by over 400% due to a widespread shortage caused by severe weather conditions throughout this year’s tomato season. The steep increase, which occurred in recent weeks, has made this common ingredient in Indian cuisine largely unaffordable for many low-income households.
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.
Biparjoy is making landfall along the coast of Saurashtra and Kutch, India and adjoining Pakistan — between Mandvi, Gujarat, and Karachi, Pakistan near Jakhau port, Gujarat — on June 15, 2023, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 115 to 125 km /h (71 – 78 mph), with gusts to 140 km/h (87 mph).
Tropical Cyclone “Biparjoy” formed in the Arabian Sea on June 6, 2023, as the second named storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. The system is moving northward, threatening the coasts of Pakistan and neighboring Saurashtra and Kutch, India.
