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Climate changed already? Monsoon refuses to end, rains wreak havoc in Bihar, other parts

Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Bihar, submerging the state capital of Patna and flooding several districts as the monsoon refused to retreat – yet another phenomenon signalling that climate change is here and brings with it a retribution in which those least responsible for it suffer the most.

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6 years ago

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Climate changed already? rains wreak havoc in Bihar

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Bihar, submerging the state capital of Patna and flooding several districts as the monsoon refused to retreat – yet another phenomenon signalling that climate change is here and brings with it a retribution in which those least responsible for it suffer the most. 

Reports said 29 lives have been lost in Bihar alone and over 130 across India in rain-related incidents since the last weekend. Bihar has suffered massive damages to infrastructure in many districts till Sunday and was in for another spell of battering as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has retained its ‘red colour’ warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the state. 

Monsoon, which normally withdraws around September-end, will continue to stay around till mid-October, said IMD director general M Mohapatra on Sunday.

Patna, reeling under knee-deep water on Sunday due to the sudden spurt in late monsoon rainfall and reported to be the worst hit, might face more misery if the water level in Punpun river rises further. 

At least 134 people have died in rain-related incidents across the country in the past three days, with Uttar Pradesh reporting the maximum cases, said reports citing data from the state disaster relief departments. 

Twenty-two interstate trains have been cancelled in as many days due to rain, an Indian Railways spokesperson said.

The latest spell of rainfall is due to extended low pressure areas creating monsoon trough in different parts of the country, which would result in more showers in the next five days, according to the IMD.

Rivers were in spate following heavy showers. In UP, according to the state’s Flood Management and Information System Centre (FMICS), the Ganga was flowing above the danger level in Ghazipur and Ballia districts while Kuano river was flowing above the danger mark in Gonda district.Flood warning has been issued in 28 districts.

In Bihar, deaths were reported from the worst-affected Patna, Bhagalpur and Kaimur districts in the last 24 hours. Several areas in the state capital were inundated on Sunday, with the city receiving 152mm of rain the night before. Government hospitals and buildings — including the city’s second largest medical facility, the Nalanda Medical College Hospital — were waterlogged.

A bird’s eye view of Patna made the city appear like a huge lake dotted with concrete structures, said a NDTV report. Posh low-lying areas like Rajendra Nagar and Pataliputra Colony were flooded. Private hospitals, medical stores and other shops were submerged in waist-deep water. Visuals showed flooding at Nalanda Medical College Hospital, the second largest healthcare facility in the city.

The state disaster response force was deployed for rescue efforts and installed additional pumps across the city to flush out water, officials said.

According to the weather department, the state capital has received more than 200 mm of rainfall since Friday evening, which was described by principal secretary, disaster management department, Pratyay Amrit as “totally unexpected”.

Amrit said 15 districts where more rain is expected in the next 24 hours have been put on alert and all schools have been closed till Tuesday.

Other states

In the desert state of Rajasthan, three students were killed when a government school’s wall collapsed after excessive rainfall in Udaipur district. The incident occurred early on Friday morning in Government Middle School, Thobwara. The school, which is situated on the foothills, was waterlogged due to excessive rainfall on Friday night, the police said.

Madhya Pradesh has been witnessing heavy rainfall over the last couple of weeks. Three persons, including a police constable, were swept away in the strong currents of a swollen nullah in Seoni district, police said. The incident occurred on Ghansor-Kedarpur Road on Friday night. The three bodies were recovered about a kilometre away from the place of the incident.

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district, a 22-year-old woman was killed after she was struck by lightning. Heavy rains lashed wide parts of the Jammu province, causing waterlogging and traffic jams at many places in the city disrupting normal life.

In Himachal Pradesh, parts of the state received light rainfall on Saturday which brought the maximum temperature down by two to three notches below the season’s average. Mandi received the maximum rainfall at 36 mm in the 24 hours ending at 5:30 pm on Saturday, followed by Kufri (28 mm), Salooni (25 mm), Kandaghat and Bakloh (22 mm each), Baijnath (19 mm), Solan (13 mm), Shimla (12.3 mm) and Manali (11 mm).

In the South, the Krishna river is in spate again following heavy rain in the upper catchment areas in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Consequently, the crest gates of major dams that were already full to the brim in Andhra Pradesh had to be opened for the third time in the last couple of months to let out floodwater into the Bay of Bengal.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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5 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

6 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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