More than 100 killed in flooding, mudslides as monsoon downpours drench India, Nepal
Floods in northeast India worsened on Tuesday (July 16) with incessant rain swelling already raging rivers, inundating villages and a national park as 1,000 soldiers were deployed to rescue people fleeing the rising waters. Heavy early monsoon rain has lashed parts of South Asia since last week, killing at least 119 people and forcing more than five million people from their homes in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Heavy rainfall has triggered deadly flooding and mudslides across parts of Nepal and northern India in recent days, and more rain is on the way.
Flooding and landslides have killed at least 78 people in Nepal since last Friday, according to the Associated Press.
More than 1,400 people have been rescued from flooded areas, and more than 75,000 people are estimated to have been displaced.
The deadly weather also affected parts of northeastern India with at least 55 deaths reported from the recent flooding and mudslides in Bihar and Assam, according to India Today. Rain-related incidents were also reported to have claimed 14 lives in Uttar Pradesh.
The Assam Ministry of Forest and Environment told the public that ninety per cent of the famed Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state were still submerged on Thursday.
Travel has been impacted across the region, and further flooding is expected in the coming days as downpours continue to inundate northeastern India.
Daily rainfall totals of 50-150 mm (2-6 inches) will remain possible into the weekend. Downpours can trigger new flooding and slow recovery efforts.
Officials reported that more than 6.7 million people in India have been directly affected by the floods; more than 4 million of these people are in Assam.
Additionally, several rivers across the state, including the Brahmaputra, were listed at dangerously high levels. Some of the embankments along the rivers are eroding, threatening neighboring villages.
Deadly downpours have also affected northern and northwestern India in recent days. A building collapsed during heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than two dozen others, according to the Hindu.
Farther north and west, downpours across Jammu and Kashmir and neighboring Pakistan triggered flash flooding from Sunday into Monday.
Flood affected villagers travel on boats near a submerged house in Burha Burhi village east of Gauhati India, Monday, July 15, 2019. After causing flooding and landslides in Nepal, three rivers are overflowing in northeastern India and submerging parts of the region, affecting the lives of more than 2 million, officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
The flooding killed at least 28 people and destroyed multiple homes and mosques in the Azad Kashmir region, according to the Express Tribune. The number of deaths is expected to rise as dozens remain missing.
The greatest risk for flooding rainfall from Friday into Monday will be across southwestern India where locations across western Kerala and western Karnataka will endure a daily deluge of rainfall.
Precipitation totals of 250-500 mm (10-20 inches) through Monday will be common from Udupi and Mangaluru southward to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 750 mm (30 inches) is possible.
This magnitude of rainfall can result in widespread flooding and a high risk of mudslides. Water levels can rise dramatically in a short time with rainfall rates in excess of 100 mm (4 inches) per hour during the heaviest rainfall.
Satellite image showing monsoon rain and thunderstorms across India on Wednesday, local time. (EUMETSAT/Satellite image)
Thunderstorms spread across India's National Capital Region (NCR) several times from Monday into Wednesday, bringing some brief relief from the heat and humidity.
More rainfall is expected in the coming days across the NCR, and downpours will return to areas from Chhatttisgarh to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh into the weekend.
Localized flooding will be a concern along with thunderstorms capable of producing frequent lightning.
An Indian man uses a towel to wipe the sweat on his face on a hot and humid summer day in Hyderabad, India, Monday, June 3, 2019. Many parts of India are experiencing heat wave conditions with temperature hovering above 45 degree Celsius (113 fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
The heat will remain most intense in western Rajasthan where actual temperatures are expected to climb between 37 and 40 C (99 and 104 F) daily. When oppressive humidity is factored in and wind lessens, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will approach or reach 43 C (110 F) during the afternoon.
A gusty breeze can also cause blowing dust to reduce visibility. Hazardous air quality will further add to the dangers residents of the region.
Download the free AccuWeather app for more precise forecast details and to stay aware of flood dangers in your community.
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