Monsoon havoc across India: Floods, landslides bring normal life to a standstill

Heavy rain and thunderstorms battered several parts of India on Monday, triggering floods, landslides and widespread disruption that left at least four people dead, inundated roads and buildings, and severely impacted air, rail and road transport. Authorities across multiple states remain on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of more intense rainfall.

Maharashtra worst hit

Maharashtra bore the brunt of the monsoon fury, with three rain-related deaths reported in Pune, taking the state’s toll to 16.

The IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds.

Mumbai and its neighbouring districts witnessed severe waterlogging, uprooted trees, wall and billboard collapses, while transport services were badly affected. The newly inaugurated “Missing Link” stretch of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway suffered a major setback after a concrete pillar collapsed onto the carriageway, forcing authorities to shut sections of both the expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway following landslides and flooding.

More than 40 Western Railway services were disrupted, with several trains cancelled, diverted or short-terminated, while five inbound flights to Mumbai were diverted. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the situation as a “force majeure” event and said all disaster response agencies had been mobilised.

Flash floods, landslides hit northern states

In Himachal Pradesh, heavy overnight rain triggered flash floods, landslides and road blockades, killing a 14-year-old girl. Key routes, including the Chamba-Tissa and Larji-Sainj roads, were disrupted, while the IMD issued an orange alert for Tuesday.

In Jammu and Kashmir, flash floods damaged the Doda-Kishtwar highway and buried several vehicles near the under-construction Kwar Hydroelectric Project.

A landslide on the Gangotri Highway in Uttarakhand also disrupted traffic as rivers swelled due to continuous rainfall. A yellow alert remains in place.

Heavy rain continues in central and eastern India

In Chhattisgarh, relentless rainfall flooded low-lying areas, disrupted traffic and prompted the State Disaster Response Force to remain on high alert as rivers, including the Shivnath and Kharun, continued to swell. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours.

Odisha remained on statewide alert for the third consecutive day of rain, while parts of Rajasthan, particularly the Udaipur, Kota and Bharatpur divisions, also reported widespread waterlogging. Meteorologists expect the active monsoon spell to persist for another five to six days due to a low-pressure system moving from the Bay of Bengal toward southern Jharkhand and northern Odisha.