Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to affect large parts of India on Friday, triggering landslides in the Himalayan states, flooding rivers in the Northeast and causing rain-related deaths in multiple regions. Authorities intensified rescue and relief operations as highways remained blocked, roads were damaged and thousands of people were moved to safer locations.
While several northern and northeastern states continued to receive heavy rainfall, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan witnessed relatively dry weather after days of persistent showers.
Himachal Pradesh faces widespread disruption
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall affected several districts in Himachal Pradesh, damaging roads, bridges and public infrastructure while disrupting daily life. Many educational institutions remained closed as a precaution.
A 70-year-old man died in Kullu district after falling boulders struck him on the Buanda-Chwai road. In Solan district, two people were injured when a boulder hit their vehicle in the Arki area.
Authorities said 27 link roads in Shimla district remained closed, causing inconvenience to commuters. Rockfall incidents were reported at multiple locations along the Kalka-Shimla National Highway.
Officials also expressed concern over a potential landslide threat near the Sangla bridge in Kinnaur district. Any significant damage to the bridge could disconnect Sangla Valley from the rest of the district.
According to the Meteorological Department, Sirmaur and Solan districts recorded the highest rainfall since Thursday evening.
Landslides block key roads in Uttarakhand
Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours triggered landslides across Uttarakhand, resulting in the death of a teenager, injuries to several people and the closure of schools in affected areas.
Officials said 118 roads across the state, including the Yamunotri National Highway, were blocked due to landslides. A nearly 100-metre stretch of the Yamunotri Highway near Syanachatti in Uttarkashi district was damaged, with restoration work underway.
The Gangotri National Highway also experienced repeated disruptions because of falling rocks and boulders. Continuous rainfall caused the Ganga, Yamuna and several tributaries to swell, prompting authorities to remain on high alert following forecasts of more heavy rainfall.
Floods affect Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast
Flash floods inundated parts of the Ari area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, damaging houses and leaving several residents stranded. Police personnel rescued at least 25 people from flooded areas.
In Mizoram, more than 80 families in Lunglei district were shifted to safer locations after the Khawthlangtuipui River overflowed following days of continuous rain. Authorities also reported landslides and rockfalls at more than 29 locations across the state.
A massive landslide blocked National Highway 54 near Bualte village, leaving several tourists stranded for four days and cutting off Lawngtlai and Siaha districts from the rest of Mizoram. The Aizawl-Thenzawl-Lunglei highway also remained blocked because of major rockfalls.
Tripura continued to battle flood conditions, with over 4,000 houses damaged and nearly 11,000 people taking shelter in relief camps. Officials said no fatalities had been reported in the state.
Uttar Pradesh records heavy rainfall and fatalities
Heavy rainfall continued across many parts of Uttar Pradesh, leading to multiple rain-related deaths.
A 28-year-old man died after reportedly falling into a rainwater-filled roadside drain in Noida. In Muzaffarnagar, a 60-year-old woman was killed after her mud house collapsed, while her husband sustained injuries. In Balrampur, a 21-year-old farmer lost his life after being struck by lightning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the active southwest monsoon over Uttar Pradesh has been strengthened by an upper-air cyclonic circulation over central parts of the state and a well-marked low-pressure area over northwest Madhya Pradesh.
Mawana in Meerut district recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 315 mm during the 24-hour period ending Friday morning, followed by Jansath in Muzaffarnagar with 270.1 mm.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for Uttar Pradesh, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall until July 11.
Delhi and Rajasthan likely to see a break from heavy rain
After two consecutive days of rainfall, Delhi experienced clearer skies on Friday. Weather experts indicated that rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued until around July 15 as the monsoon trough has shifted towards the Himalayan foothills.
The weather office also forecast weaker monsoon activity over Rajasthan, with mostly dry conditions expected across much of the state for about a week and only isolated areas likely to receive light rainfall.
West Bengal, Arunachal and Assam remain on alert
Heavy rain continued across parts of West Bengal, causing waterlogging and traffic congestion in Kolkata. Cooch Behar recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 143 mm during the previous 24 hours, while Dum Dum received 96 mm.
In Arunachal Pradesh, fresh floods and landslides damaged houses, roads and agricultural land in West Kameng, Upper Subansiri and Tirap districts. The flood-related death toll in the state rose to seven after the body of a missing woman was recovered in Papum Pare district.
Authorities in Assam advised residents to remain cautious as the IMD forecast widespread rainfall across the state, including Guwahati, over the coming days. The weather agency warned that heavy rainfall could lead to waterlogging, flash floods, slow traffic movement and localised landslides.
The IMD also forecast widespread rainfall across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura until July 16, while rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued over central and southern Peninsular India during the next week.
Meanwhile, light rainfall was reported in parts of Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. In Kerala, recovery operations at the Wayanad landslide site continued, with one more body recovered, taking the death toll to seven.
