Farewell Monsoon Brings Intense Rainfall, UP Reports 22 Lightning Deaths; Weather Update for Other States

Rain Updates: The monsoon, which brought relief and disaster for four months, has finally departed. The Indian Meteorological Department has officially announced this. This year, the country received eight percent more rainfall than normal. While the heavy rains that preceded the departure brought relief to those struggling with humidity, they also wreaked havoc in many places.

Alert for the Next 24 Hours

The Meteorological Department said that Andaman-Nicobar may receive moderate to heavy rains for the next 24 hours. Light to moderate rains are expected in Uttarakhand, Northeast India, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Eastern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, coastal Karnataka and Konkan-Goa. Bihar, Jharkhand, Marathwada, Kerala and Lakshadweep may also receive light rain. The possibility of drizzle has been expected in Delhi-NCR, which people may consider to be the  farewell of the last monsoon shower.

Thunderstorms wreak havoc in Uttar Pradesh

The farewell rains wreaked havoc in Uttar Pradesh. Lightning struck 22 people on Monday and Tuesday. Kanpur and surrounding districts suffered the most casualties, with 14 fatalities. Prayagraj, Shravasti, Hathras, Aligarh, Banda, Mathura, and Firozabad were also affected.

Six children were injured when lightning struck a school roof in Sambhal district, injuring them under debris. Farmers' standing crops of millet, potatoes, and mustard were also destroyed.

Three Days of Rain

The Meteorological Department has warned that 40 districts in Uttar Pradesh may experience rain for the next three days. A heavy rainfall alert has been issued for several districts in central and eastern Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

Above-average rainfall, over 1,500 deaths

The national average rainfall is 868.6 mm, while this year 937.2 mm was recorded, an eight percent increase.

But this excess rainfall did not always bring relief. According to official figures, nearly 1,500 people died this monsoon season. Of these, 935 deaths were caused by floods and heavy rains, while 570 were caused by lightning.

Lack of Rain in the Northeast

During a press briefing in Delhi, Meteorological Department Director General Mrityunjay Mahapatra said, "This monsoon season was overall successful, but disasters were also witnessed in many parts." He said that while rainfall across the country was above normal, eastern and northeastern India recorded 20 percent less rainfall than average.