July 21, 2019

Kerala to face rounds of flooding downpours into early week; More than 10 million affected by flooding in India's northeast

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

By Robert Richards, AccuWeather meteorologist

July 21, 2019, 10:41:44 AM EDT

As northeast India continues to be affected by flooding, downpours will focus on Kerala in the coming days with renewed flooding threats.

Widespread downpours are expected throughout Kerala and southern parts of Karnataka's coastal region into early week, elevating the risk for both floods and mudslides.

The first round of downpours soaked Kerala on Friday, causing flooding and leading to numerous water rescues, according to the Indian Express.

More widespread heavy rainfall is possible from Sunday night into Wednesday as a slow-moving monsoon low spreads rainfall from south to north.

Rainfall totals through Wednesday will average 200-400 mm (8-16 inches) across Kerala and southwest Karnataka with an Accuweather Local StormMax™ of 750 mm (30 inches).

An Indian man uses a piece of carton to protect himself during a rain in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, July 16, 2019. India receives its monsoon rains from June to September. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

This magnitude of rainfall can produce flash flooding and widespread travel disruptions. There will also be a high risk for mudslides, and water levels in streams and rivers can rapidly rise, threatening communities along and near their paths with rainfall rates in excess of 100 mm (4 inches) per hour during the heaviest rainfall.

Communities in northeast India continue to endure widespread flooding following several weeks of incessant downpours. Aljaeera reported that nearly 150 people have been killed in the flooding across the states of Assam and Bihar.

An Indian woman rides a scooter during a rain in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, July 16, 2019. India receives its monsoon rains from June to September. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Mudslides have accompanied the flooding and transportation has been cut off as raging rivers have washed out multiple roadways and made travel by water extremely dangerous or impossible in some areas.

In total, more than 10 million people have been affected by the flooding across Northeast India.

The Assam Ministry of Forest and Environment told the public that 90 percent of the famed Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state was submerged on Thursday. More than 100 animals, including 11 endangered one-horned rhinos were drowned.

Daily rainfall totals of 50-100 mm (24 inches) will remain possible into the weekend. Downpours can trigger new flooding and slow recovery efforts across northeast India.

The heavy monsoon rain has also been responsible for deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

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