India's monsoon back on track, heatwave to ease, says weather officials
MUMBAI, June 16 (Reuters) - India's monsoon has revived after stalling for more than a fortnight, and rains are set to cover central parts of the country this week, bringing relief from the heatwave in the grain-growing northern plains, two senior weather officials said on Monday.
The monsoon, the lifeblood of the country's nearly $4 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70% of the rain that India needs to water farms and replenish aquifers and reservoirs.
Nearly half of India's farmland, which has no irrigation, depends on the annual June-September rains for crop growth.
The monsoon has revived after a fortnight as a favourable weather system has developed in the Bay of Bengal, which would help the monsoon to cover entire central India this week, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told Reuters.
Monsoon rains on Monday covered almost entire western state of Maharashtra and entered into neighbouring Gujarat and central state of Madhya Pradesh, the official said.
The Monsoon's onset over Kerala occurred on May 24 and quickly covered southern, northeastern and some parts of western India ahead of its usual schedule, but its progress has stalled since May 29, according to an IMD chart that tracked the monsoon's progress.
The monsoon has gained the required momentum, and heavy rainfall is likely over west coast, central and some parts of north India in next ten days, which will significantly bring down temperatures, another weather official said.
India has received 31% lower rainfall than average in the first half of June, but in the second half the country is set to receive above average rainfall, the official said.
Monsoon rains are set to progress quickly in the next few days and could cover most parts of the country before the end of June, the official said.
Summer rains usually fall in Kerala around June 1 before spreading nationwide by mid-July, allowing farmers to plant crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.
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Reuters
8 hours ago
- Reuters
India's monsoon back on track, heatwave to ease, says weather officials
MUMBAI, June 16 (Reuters) - India's monsoon has revived after stalling for more than a fortnight, and rains are set to cover central parts of the country this week, bringing relief from the heatwave in the grain-growing northern plains, two senior weather officials said on Monday. The monsoon, the lifeblood of the country's nearly $4 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70% of the rain that India needs to water farms and replenish aquifers and reservoirs. Nearly half of India's farmland, which has no irrigation, depends on the annual June-September rains for crop growth. The monsoon has revived after a fortnight as a favourable weather system has developed in the Bay of Bengal, which would help the monsoon to cover entire central India this week, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told Reuters. Monsoon rains on Monday covered almost entire western state of Maharashtra and entered into neighbouring Gujarat and central state of Madhya Pradesh, the official said. The Monsoon's onset over Kerala occurred on May 24 and quickly covered southern, northeastern and some parts of western India ahead of its usual schedule, but its progress has stalled since May 29, according to an IMD chart that tracked the monsoon's progress. The monsoon has gained the required momentum, and heavy rainfall is likely over west coast, central and some parts of north India in next ten days, which will significantly bring down temperatures, another weather official said. India has received 31% lower rainfall than average in the first half of June, but in the second half the country is set to receive above average rainfall, the official said. Monsoon rains are set to progress quickly in the next few days and could cover most parts of the country before the end of June, the official said. Summer rains usually fall in Kerala around June 1 before spreading nationwide by mid-July, allowing farmers to plant crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
2 killed and 32 injured after a bridge collapses at a tourist destination in western India
At least two people died and 32 others were injured after an iron bridge over a river collapsed on Sunday at a popular tourist destination in India's western Maharashtra state, the state's top elected official said. At least six people were hospitalized in critical condition, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote on the social media platform X. Local media reported that scores of tourists were on the bridge when it collapsed, plunging many into the swollen river. Fadnavis said six people were rescued and that an intense search operation was ongoing as some people were swept away. The incident occurred in Kundamala area in Pune district, which has witnessed heavy rains over the past few days, giving the river a steady flow, Press Trust of India reported. It was not raining when the bridge collapsed in an area frequented by picnickers, the news agency reported. Police said teams of the National Disaster Response Force and other search and recovery units have undertaken rescue operations, Press Trust said. India's infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on its highways and bridges. In 2022, a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river in the western state of Gujarat, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 132 in one of the worst accidents in the country in the past decade.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Pune bridge collapse: Two killed in India
At least two people have died after an iron bridge collapsed in western India, triggering a major rescue say six others have been seriously injured, and people rescued from the Indrayani River which runs underneath the bridge in Maharashtra's Pune say a large group of people were crossing the bridge when it gave way on Sunday at about 15:30 local time (11:00 BST).Maharashtra chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said India's National Disaster Response Force had been deployed, adding that "relief work has been immediately accelerated". "I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the tragedy that occurred when a bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed in Indori, near Talegaon in Pune district," Fadnavis posted on Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule added: "It is feared that some citizens on the bridge may have been swept away."Eyewitness Raghuveer Shelar told Reuters news agency: "The bridge suddenly collapsed. At least 20-25 people were swept away."Some rescue workers saved a few tourists and some are feared trapped in the bridge debris."
