Monsoon rains swept into Delhi and parts of north India on Sunday, arriving nine days ahead of schedule and bringing much-needed relief but also triggering red and orange alerts for heavy rainfall across multiple states. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continued heavy downpours in the coming days, urging residents and authorities in affected states to remain vigilant as rain and thunderstorms could disrupt daily life and ongoing travel, including pilgrimages in Uttarakhand.
Red alert in Uttarakhand, orange alerts for Himachal, Punjab
The IMD issued a red alert for Uttarakhand, predicting extremely heavy rainfall with thunderstorms on June 30 across districts such as Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, and Nainital. As a precaution, authorities temporarily halted the Char Dham Yatra to ensure the safety of pilgrims before later resuming it as weather conditions stabilized.
In Himachal Pradesh, an orange alert was issued, forecasting light to moderate rainfall in districts including Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Kangra, with isolated spells of intense to very intense rainfall expected. Punjab also faces an orange alert in districts like Patiala, Sangrur, Ludhiana, and Rupnagar, where very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely. Chandigarh recorded 119.5 mm of rain by 8:30 am on Sunday, causing significant waterlogging across the city and impacting local traffic and daily activities.
Early monsoon arrival covers entire India
According to the IMD, monsoon rains typically reach Kerala by June 1 and cover the entire country by July 8. However, this year, the southwest monsoon arrived in Delhi on Sunday, covering the entire nation nine days ahead of schedule. This rare meteorological event, marking early monsoon coverage across India, has occurred only five times since 2001.
For Monday, the IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, East Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Vidarbha, with thunderstorms and lightning likely in many areas, including Delhi and its adjoining cities under an orange alert.
In northeast India, the IMD forecasted persistent heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura between July 2 and 5. The early arrival of the monsoon, while bringing respite from heat in many regions, has raised concerns over the potential for flooding, landslides, and disruptions in travel and essential services in states under red and orange alerts.
The IMD has urged residents in the affected regions to follow local advisories and exercise caution during heavy rainfall, as the monsoon system strengthens across the country, marking the onset of the critical rainy season that is vital for India’s agriculture but often challenging for urban management and transport systems.
