New Delhi | July 29, 2026
India’s southwest monsoon remains at its peak, triggering widespread flooding, landslides, and severe travel disruptions across several states. A cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district sent torrents of mud and debris into residential areas, while relentless rainfall and landslides have forced the closure of nearly 290 roads in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over large parts of the country over the next 24 hours as an active western disturbance combines with a deep depression over eastern India. Weather experts say these systems are expected to keep monsoon activity intense through the end of July.
Cloudburst Triggers Flash Flooding in Kashmir
A cloudburst struck Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir, sending a surge of water, mud, and rocks downhill into nearby villages. Several homes were inundated with debris, while powerful winds accompanying the storm uprooted trees and caused additional damage to local infrastructure.
Local authorities have begun clearing debris and assessing damage, although no immediate official estimate of total losses has been released.
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand Face Major Disruptions
Mountain states continue to bear the brunt of the monsoon.
In Himachal Pradesh, sudden flash floods in streams around Chamba caused widespread destruction. A car plunged into a gorge after the road gave way, resulting in the deaths of five members of a family, including a three-month-old infant.
Authorities reported:
- 179 roads closed
- 62 power transformers affected
- 107 drinking water supply schemes disrupted
- Damage to 64 houses, eight shops, and more than 22 vehicles buried under debris
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand reported 111 road closures, including three National Highways and six state highways, following multiple landslides triggered by persistent rainfall.
Char Dham Yatra Suspended Again
Continuous rainfall and repeated landslides have disrupted the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. Officials suspended the pilgrimage on Tuesday, and authorities confirmed that the restriction will remain in effect on Wednesday as well due to unsafe travel conditions along the pilgrimage routes.
Pilgrims have been advised to wait for further updates before planning their journeys.
Deep Depression Intensifies Rain Across Eastern India
According to the IMD, a deep depression over northern interior Odisha, southern Jharkhand, and adjoining Chhattisgarh moved westward at around 18 km/h during the previous six hours.
The weather system is expected to continue moving across northern Chhattisgarh while maintaining its intensity over the next 24 hours, bringing widespread rainfall across eastern and central India.
Heavy rain was reported across:
- Odisha
- Jharkhand
- Chhattisgarh
- Madhya Pradesh
Several rivers in these states are flowing near or above warning levels after continuous rainfall.
Temperature Drops as Rain Brings Relief
The persistent rain has significantly lowered temperatures in eastern India.
In Jharkhand, daytime temperatures dropped to approximately 20–25°C, providing relief from the recent spell of humid weather.
Weather officials say similar cooling is expected in neighboring states if rainfall continues over the coming days.
Assam Flood Situation Remains Serious
Flood conditions continue to affect large parts of Assam.
According to the latest official figures:
- 25 districts remain affected.
- Around 1.144 million people have been impacted.
- Nearly 71,000 residents are staying in relief camps.
Authorities continue rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations in flood-hit regions.
Delhi-NCR Likely to Receive More Rain
Meteorologists say the southwest monsoon has become active once again over Delhi-NCR.
Three weather systems are currently contributing to favorable rainfall conditions:
- The monsoon trough has shifted southward across Delhi.
- A deep depression from the Bay of Bengal has reached the Odisha-West Bengal coast.
- Two separate cyclonic circulations are influencing Rajasthan and central Uttar Pradesh.
The interaction of these systems is expected to produce light to moderate rainfall, with isolated spells of heavy showers across Delhi and surrounding areas over the next several days.
What Is the Monsoon Trough?
The monsoon trough is an elongated low-pressure zone stretching from Pakistan across northern India to the Bay of Bengal. Areas located along this trough generally experience stronger cloud formation and enhanced rainfall.
When the trough shifts position, rainfall patterns across India also change significantly.
What Is a Cyclonic Circulation?
A cyclonic circulation is an area where winds rotate around a low-pressure center while rising upward into the atmosphere. This upward movement allows moisture to condense into clouds, increasing the likelihood of rainfall and thunderstorms.
What Is a Monsoon Break?
A monsoon break occurs when the monsoon trough shifts toward the Himalayan foothills, causing rainfall to decrease across the northern plains, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.
At present, the monsoon trough has shifted southward again, supporting renewed rainfall across northwestern India.
Skymet Forecast: Active Monsoon to Continue
According to weather forecasting agency Skymet, the southwest monsoon is currently in its most active phase and is expected to remain vigorous through the end of July.
The agency says several parts of India may continue receiving heavy rainfall over the next three to four days, particularly in central, eastern, and northern regions.
Key Highlights
- Cloudburst triggers flash flooding in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
- Nearly 290 roads remain closed across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- Char Dham Yatra suspended due to landslides and heavy rain.
- IMD forecasts continued heavy rainfall across nearly 20 states.
- Deep depression over eastern India expected to intensify rainfall.
- Delhi-NCR likely to witness more showers over the next few days.
- Assam floods continue to affect more than 1.14 million people.
