Monsoon triggers flash floods, landslides in Northeast, likely to reach Maharashtra in 2 days

The IMD has also warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh on June 10-11, and Assam and Meghalaya during the next five days.

Dark clouds hover in the sky ahead of the monsoon season, at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, in Thiruvananthapuram. (Photo credit: PTI)

Key Highlights
  • Southwest Monsoon has been stuck over Karwar for the past 6-7 days
  • However, now conditions are building up for rains to make an appearance over Konkan and Goa region
  • It is likely to reach Uttar Pradesh between June 16 and June 22, the IMD said in an extended range forecast.

The Southwest Monsoon is progressing normally and will likely reach Maharashtra in the next two days, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday. The IMD has also warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) in Arunachal Pradesh on June 10-11, and Assam and Meghalaya during the next five days.

The monsoon accounts for around 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall and is considered the lifeline of its agriculture-based economy.

Heavy rainfall in Northeast India

The India Meteorological Department has warned of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) in Arunachal Pradesh on June 10-11, and Assam and Meghalaya during the next five days. In fact, heavy rains have already started in Meghalaya since yesterday. A wooden bridge was washed away in Meghalaya because of heavy rainfall. At least four people, including three of a family, were killed in a landslide as incessant rains accompanied by fierce winds wreaked havoc in western Meghalaya’s Garo hills region, Hindustan Times reported. 

West, South-West and South Garo hill districts of the state are experiencing floods, mudslides and landslides in vast areas. Landslides have been reported from the West and South-West Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya since Wednesday night.

Senior IMD scientist R K Jenamani said the monsoon touched the Kerala coast on May 29 and covered south and central Arabian Sea, Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the entire northeast between May 31 and June 7.

However, above-normal rainfall is likely in northeast, east India (excluding Odisha) and northwest India between June 16 and June 22, the IMD said.

Jenamani said extremely heavy rainfall is predicted over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya over the next few days.

Assam was hit by a wave of floods last month. Intense pre-monsoon rain and flooding caused massive damage to the state’s infrastructure, including bridges, roads and railway tracks.

No delay in Monsoon

The scientist said conditions are favourable for the further advance of monsoon over Goa and some more parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the next two days.

“There is no delay in the progress of monsoon. It is likely to reach Maharashtra in the next two days and cover Mumbai in the subsequent two days,” he told reporters, dismissing reports that its progress had slowed down.

“We have strong monsoon features — there are strong winds and clouds have started developing — for the next two days,” he added.

Southwest Monsoon has been stuck over Karwar for the past 6-7 days. However, now conditions are building up for rains to make an appearance over Konkan and Goa region, according to Skymetweather

It is likely to reach Uttar Pradesh between June 16 and June 22, the IMD said in an extended range forecast.

42% rainfall deficit in June so far

Since June 1, when the monsoon season begins, the country has received 42 per cent less rainfall, with northwest India recording a rainfall deficiency of 94 per cent.

The IMD had last month said the southwest monsoon will be normal and quantitatively be 103 per cent of the 50-year average of 87 cm rainfall received during the entire season.

It will be the seventh consecutive year when the country would receive normal rainfall during the June-September period.

Asked if the monsoon will reach Delhi-NCR and other parts of northwest India around the usual date, Jenamani said it was too early to say anything.

Last year, the IMD had forecast that the monsoon would arrive in Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date of June 27. However, it reached the capital and neighbouring areas only on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years. The monsoon had entered a “break” phase and there was virtually no progress from June 20 to July 8.