10-7-2023 (NEW DELHI) At least 15 people have lost their lives due to floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains that lashed northern India. New Delhi, in particular, experienced the heaviest rainfall in decades, with roads submerged in knee-deep water. The capital received 153mm of rain in a single day, marking the highest July precipitation in 40 years.
As heavy rain is expected to persist for another day, authorities in New Delhi have ordered the closure of schools on Monday. According to the Press Trust of India news agency, 15 fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours across six northern Indian states.
The hill states have been severely affected, with Himachal Pradesh alone recording six deaths. Landslides have blocked approximately 700 roads in the region, as confirmed by Omkar Sharma, a disaster management official.
India’s meteorological department has forecasted more rain across large parts of northern India in the coming days. Official data reveals that monsoon rains during the first week of July have already exceeded the average by approximately 2 percent.
At least 15 people are killed in floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains that battered northern India, with New Delhi receiving the most rainfall in decades, according to local media and officials pic.twitter.com/XDbWil0h5A
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The summer monsoon plays a crucial role in providing 70 to 80 percent of South Asia’s annual rainfall. However, it also brings the risk of death and destruction through flooding and landslides. The intensity and unpredictability of monsoon rainfall are attributed to climate change, which scientists argue is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic.
