New Delhi : Torrential monsoon rain battered large parts of India on Wednesday and Thursday, triggering flash floods, landslides, a building collapse and widespread disruption to road and rail traffic across several states. As the weather worsened, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation and assured them of all possible help from the Centre.
The impact of the intense monsoon was seen across Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan, with authorities staying on high alert. Delhi recorded one of its heaviest spells of rain this season overnight, leaving several areas waterlogged and slowing traffic across the city. The IMD issued red and orange alerts and warned of thunderstorms, heavy rain and lightning.
In Rohini, three people were killed after a newly built four-storey building collapsed. A preliminary report by the civic body said plumbing work was underway inside the structure and that drilling or cutting of beams and columns may have caused the collapse. Officials have not linked the incident to the rain so far. Waterlogging was reported from several parts of the capital, including Sadar Bazar, Nasirpur, Greater Kailash, Badarpur, Teliwara, Mahavir Bazar, Swarup Nagar and Kushak Road.
The Delhi Fire Service responded to calls about uprooted trees in East of Kailash, while civic agencies received several complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees and power cuts. The Delhi government said major flooding spots such as Minto Bridge and ITO did not face waterlogging this time. Heavy rain also disrupted daily life in neighbouring Gurugram, where waterlogging stranded vehicles and caused major traffic jams. Congestion was reported on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Basai, Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, Kadipur, Sector 10A and Sohna Road, among other areas.
Mumbai was also hit by another round of heavy showers and thunderstorms after a brief break, delaying suburban train services and causing problems for office-goers. Long-distance trains to Gujarat remained affected due to waterlogging in the Vasai-Virar section and at several places in south Gujarat. Train services on the Mumbai-Pune route were also disrupted after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section.
Gujarat’s Surat remained among the worst-hit areas as torrential rain and flooding continued to disrupt life. Officials said at least nine people had died in rain-related incidents over the past few days. Thousands of people living in low-lying areas were shifted to safer places, while food packets were distributed to residents stranded in waterlogged high-rise buildings. Several parts of the city remained under water as rain continued.
In Kerala’s Wayanad district, search operations were underway for five people missing after a rain-soaked mound of excavated earth collapsed at a tunnel project site. Chief Minister V D Satheesan visited the spot to review the rescue operation, which was being hampered by intermittent rain. In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain triggered flash floods in parts of Doda district, prompting emergency response measures. The weather situation in the Union Territory was also discussed by Amit Shah with the chief minister.
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