Live: Monsoon Havoc: Heavy Rain Batters Multiple States, Claims Over 10 Lives; Schools Shut in Himachal's Sirmaur

On Thursday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, alongside Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil, held a meeting with lawmakers and administration officials in Surat to evaluate the flood impact. Following the discussions, the Deputy Chief Minister commended the joint efforts of local citizens and rescue teams in tackling the deluge. Addressing the press, Sanghavi stated that extreme precipitation on July 7 had inundated several localities in Surat, marking the heaviest downpour in the city's recorded history. He noted that residents collaborated closely with public authorities to navigate this crisis. He added that seven to eight sectors suffered severe waterlogging, where teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and other groups worked tirelessly to rescue and relocate stranded individuals. Furthermore, during the review, the Chief Minister approved a ₹500 crore project aimed at preventing creek water from entering the city.

With monsoon rains intensifying across Uttar Pradesh, the IMD has issued a 'red alert' for several western parts of the state, warning of heavy to very heavy downpours over the coming 24 hours. The severe weather has already claimed at least seven lives and disrupted daily activities. According to administration officials, the fatalities occurred during various rain-related events in Sant Kabir Nagar, Kushinagar, Bulandshahr, Shamli, and Ghaziabad. In the district of Sant Kabir Nagar, two women lost their lives due to lightning strikes in two different locations. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Arun Kumar confirmed that 17-year-old Chandni from Katya village and 60-year-old Varsana from Pratapur village died while farming in Mehdawal Tehsil. He added that official inquiries are underway and financial compensation from the government will be extended to the bereaved families. Meanwhile, in Kushinagar, a 14-year-old boy named Rahul Kumar was struck by lightning and died while standing on a farm ridge in Thadhibhar village, under the jurisdiction of the Vishanpura police station, as his mother was passing him harvested vegetables. The police mentioned that the family chose not to conduct a post-mortem.

Over ten individuals lost their lives in various rain-associated accidents across India on Thursday, as severe monsoon storms left a trail of destruction, flooding streets, bringing down trees, harming houses, and throwing daily routines out of gear. With forecasts pointing to more wet weather, emergency teams worked to bring life back to normal. Residents in many urban areas had to navigate waterlogged streets with knee-deep water, while vehicles crawled on water-soaked expressways and roads. New incidents of landslides and flooding emerged from Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. In Kinnaur, a swelling river completely drowned a 100-foot iron bridge. In Delhi, continuous rain caused waterlogging on key roads, brought down trees, and led to major traffic blocks. However, the heavy rain—which topped 160 mm in some locations—cleared the air, giving the capital its cleanest air quality reading since September 2023.