Most parts of India to get above avg. rain in July; monsoon havoc in Himachal

Most parts of India are likely to receive above-normal rainfall in July, the weather department said on Monday, asking authorities and people in central India, Uttarakhand and Haryana to stay alert owing to the risk of flooding even as some parts of the country are already facing the fury of the monsoons. The country receives 28 cm of rainfall on average in July.

In rain-induced damages in parts of Himachal Pradesh, while buildings collapsed, and landslides and road blockades added to the woes of residents in the hill state on Monday.

With major rivers in northern Odisha in spate, the state government has started evacuating residents from low-lying areas and launched rescue and relief operations in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, officials said on Monday.

Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds on Monday morning, pushing temperatures several degrees down and rendering the air cleaner. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded widespread precipitation across various parts of Delhi-NCR from Sunday night.

Chandigarh and several parts of Punjab and Haryana also received rainfall on Monday. According to the local Met department, Chandigarh received 70.5 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Monday.

The IMD said rainfall is likely to be below normal in large parts of the northeast, many areas of eastern India and extreme southern peninsular India.

Average maximum temperatures are expected to remain normal to below normal in many regions. However, parts of the northeast, northwest, east and southern peninsula are likely to see above-normal temperatures, IMD director-general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said during an online press briefing.

In India, a multi-storey building collapsed this morning in the Mathu Colony area of Bhattakufer, Shimla, after intense monsoon rains. Fortunately, no one was hurt, as residents had been evacuated last night when cracks appeared. pic.twitter.com/qGbDFs6xz4

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) June 30, 2025

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Mohapatra said there is a high chance of heavy rainfall in central India and the adjoining southern peninsula. This includes east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, adjoining areas of Vidarbha and Telangana and parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. He added that good rainfall is also expected in Uttarakhand and Haryana.

"This region includes several cities and towns, including Delhi. Many south-flowing rivers originate in Uttarakhand. We must take precautions for all these river catchments, cities and towns," Mohapatra said.

In Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla, a five-storey building collapsed in Bhattakufer in the suburbs on Monday morning, while several cows from a shed were washed away in a cloudburst in Rampur. Two cowsheds, along with three cows and two calves, a kitchen and a room of a residence were washed away in the cloudburst at Sikaseri village under Sarpara gram panchayat in Rampur. However, there was no loss to human life.

In July last year, a cloudburst had claimed 21 lives in Samej under Sarpara panchayat.

The weather department on Monday morning warned of moderate to high flash-flood risks in parts of seven districts in the state — including Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur — in the next 24 hours.

It has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rains in parts of Himachal Pradesh for Wednesday and predicted a wet spell in the hill state until 6 July.

The IMD recorded widespread precipitation across various parts of Delhi-NCR from Sunday night. The rainfall led to a notable drop in day temperatures on Monday. According to the IMD, the minimum temperature recorded at 8.30 am at Safdarjung station was 24ºC, 3.9 notches below the season's average.

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The air quality improved slightly, though the Air Quality Index (AQI) continued to stay in the 'satisfactory' category. The AQI recorded was 73 at 9.00 am on Monday, against 83 on Sunday evening.

The met office has issued a yellow alert (be aware) for most of Delhi and NCR, while certain parts like northwest Delhi and sections of NCR such as Jhajjar, Bhiwani and Panipat were under the green zone (no warning).

More light to moderate showers are likely in parts of the region over the next 24 hours, according to IMD officials, who also advised residents to avoid open spaces during thunderstorms and remain alert to possible waterlogging in low-lying areas.

The Odisha government has sounded a red alert for Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts as water levels in rivers like Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Jalaka and Sono continue to rise. According to official sources, the Subarnarekha reached a water level of 11.53 m at Rajghat at noon on Monday — well above the danger mark of 10.36 m. At least four blocks in Balasore — Baliapal, Bhograi, Jaleswar, and Basta — are likely to be affected.

"Floodwaters have inundated parts of Balasore and Mayurbhanj. District administrations have started evacuating people from low-lying and flood-prone areas. Rescue and relief operations are underway. The situation is under control," revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari told reporters after reviewing the flood situation.

Personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire service are engaged in rescue and relief operations, the minister said.

By Monday morning, 1,138 people had been evacuated in Balasore. Four teams of ODRAF and five teams of the fire service have been deployed in the district, an official said. The IMD has forecast more rain across the state until 5 July.