Monsoon havoc: 10 dead in Maharashtra, landslide kills 4 in Kerala as rain batters India

Relentless monsoon rains continued to lash several parts of India on Tuesday, leaving at least 10 people dead in Maharashtra’s Palghar district since July 1, while triggering landslides, flash floods, waterlogging and traffic disruption across multiple states.

In Maharashtra, three more deaths were reported in Palghar over the past 24 hours. In a separate tragedy in Jalgaon district, three teenagers drowned in a water-filled quarry near Amalner after one of them reportedly slipped while trying to take a selfie, according to police.

Mumbai also remained on alert after a series of tree-fall incidents claimed at least three lives, including an 11-year-old student, over the past week. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a scientific study to examine whether road concretisation weakens tree roots and contributes to tree collapses during the monsoon.

The civic body also said it will begin annual inspections, maintenance and mapping of manholes from January each year to improve preparedness before the onset of the monsoon.

In Kerala, a landslide at the Kalladi tunnel construction site in Wayanad district killed at least four people, while six others remain missing as rescue operations continue.

Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district witnessed a cloudburst that triggered flash floods, washing away culverts and small bridges built over a local stream. No casualties were reported.

Heavy rainfall also disrupted life across Delhi-NCR, with widespread waterlogging and massive traffic jams reported in Delhi and Gurugram. On the Delhi-Jaipur Highway (NH-48), part of the main carriageway near Narsinghpur caved in due to incessant rain, forcing authorities to shut two lanes for traffic.

Amid concerns over the monsoon, the Centre said the country’s rainfall deficit has narrowed to 12% after above-normal rainfall during the first week of July. Following a high-level review meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra, the government said an El Niño year does not necessarily translate into below-normal monsoon rainfall and reviewed preparedness for the ongoing kharif season and possible weather-related challenges.