Live: Mumbai monsoon fury — schools shut, landslides disrupt rail and road as rains batter the region

A hotel security guard was recovered dead following a rain-induced landslide in Khandala, Pune district, Maharashtra, police said today. A rescue operation remains active for a second guard who has not been located. The landslide struck Rustic Island at North Point, within the Lonavala City police station limits, on Monday in the pre-dawn hours as unrelenting rain continued across the region. The previous day, a landslide had claimed three lives from a single family after it hit their home in Patan village near Lonavala. IMD figures show that Lonavala received 1,290 mm of rainfall in the 48-hour period that concluded at 8.30 a.m. today.

After two straight days of relentless rainfall, Mumbai saw conditions ease on Monday, with local trains and broader public transport returning to normal operations. Even so, flood-linked fatalities in the adjoining Palghar district have climbed to ten over the course of the past week, officials confirmed. A large landslide struck the Dahivali locality of Khed tehsil in coastal Ratnagiri district late Monday night, bringing five houses down under debris. Rescue teams pulled a 75-year-old woman to safety from the rubble, while two more individuals are still being searched for. Thousands of 'warkari' pilgrims heading to the pilgrimage city of Pandharpur have been cautioned against passing through Alandi in Pune district, where floodwaters have created a dangerous situation on the ground.

Monsoon rainfall swept through several districts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, delivering welcome relief from the intense heat, with Banda registering the day's highest precipitation at 61.4 mm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The agency has forecast continued rain activity along with sporadic heavy spells across the western parts of the state. IMD data shows that rain and thundershowers were logged at numerous locations: Banda led with 61.4 mm, followed by Meerut (68.2 mm), Varanasi BHU (32.2 mm), Shahjahanpur (24 mm) and Muzaffarnagar (20.8 mm).

Following two consecutive days of relentless rain that pummelled Mumbai, the downpours let up on Tuesday, granting residents a welcome respite as local train services and road traffic gradually returned to normal. Two young boys lost their lives by drowning, while two women were hurt when cement sheets crashed down at a Mumbai garden amid heavy rain and gusty winds over the past 24 hours, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Civic bodies across the city recorded 428 incidents of trees and branches coming down, and received 28 complaints about collapsed walls and houses — an indication of the scale of disruption wrought by Monday's intense showers. Train authorities stated that one of three lines in the Bhor Ghat section on the Mumbai–Pune corridor, damaged by landslides, is likely to be back in service by tonight — a welcome development after yesterday's disruption had halted train movement.

Climate scientists warn that El Niño — the recurring weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that pushes global temperatures higher — and climate change are deeply interlinked and cannot be examined in isolation, since one defers rainfall onset while the other makes precipitation dramatically more intense. An El Niño that rapidly gained strength over the Pacific this season delayed the monsoon's arrival and kept rain levels well below normal throughout June, leaving India with a 40 per cent precipitation shortfall by the month's end. But within a matter of days the situation shifted sharply: as the monsoon moved into an active phase by late June, Mumbai and extensive portions of India's western coastline were pounded by extraordinarily heavy rains. Scientists now say this is not merely a one-off anomaly — climate change is fundamentally reshaping the character and conduct of the Indian monsoon.

Under an active cloudburst advisory, several areas of Nashik district recorded heavy rainfall on Monday, causing the Godavari river to surge, officials said. Authorities confirmed that the overall situation remains manageable and the district has yet to witness any major rain-triggered incident. Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri, and Surgana talukas bore the brunt of intense rain spells, though actual cloudburst-level precipitation was not recorded at any location. Other parts of the North Maharashtra district received moderate rainfall. Citing landslide risk, the district administration has shut Bhabadbari ghat in Deola taluka to all vehicles. An SDRF team has been stationed at Igatpuri to handle any emergency.

Rain sweeping through New Delhi on Monday created massive traffic snarls across the capital's roads. (Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma)

A senior official revealed on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) that at least ten people have lost their lives in heavy rain and flood-like conditions across Palghar district of Maharashtra since July 1, with three of those fatalities occurring within the past 24 hours. Altogether, 1,261 residents have been shifted to relief camps. Addressing a press conference, District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar said that Palghar recorded an average rainfall of 203 mm over a period exceeding 24 hours, measured up to 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday. As part of ongoing disaster management efforts, 389 families totalling 1,261 individuals have been safely moved to institutional relief centres — including schools, churches, and community halls — located across Palghar, Vasai, and Wada talukas. One team each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been deployed in Virar to support local authorities. Incessant rainfall has triggered flooding in multiple pockets of the district, prompting rescue teams to evacuate and shelter those in affected areas. Officials noted that rain-linked deaths include incidents of wall collapses and drownings in drains and waterlogged fields across Palghar, spanning areas such as Vasai, Talasari, and Dahanu.

Heavy rain swept across the national capital on Tuesday afternoon (July 7, 2026), offering residents some relief from the prevailing heat. The India Meteorological Department subsequently issued both 'red' and 'orange' alerts for Delhi, covering rain and powerful wind gusts. According to the IMD's district-level nowcast, a 'red' alert has been declared for parts of north Delhi, where moderate rain at many locations and heavy showers at isolated spots are forecast, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and winds reaching up to 70 kmph. An 'orange' alert is in place for the remainder of the city, where moderate rainfall at most locations is expected alongside thunderstorms, lightning, and wind speeds of 50-60 kmph. The weather department has forecast generally cloudy conditions with moderate rain through the day. The peak daytime temperature is likely to hover around 36 degrees Celsius.

The meteorological department stated on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) that scattered locations across Rajasthan witnessed light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms during the day. Jaswantpura in Jalore district logged the highest precipitation in the state at 91 mm over the period. An orange alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued for Banswara, Baran, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Jhalawar, Pratapgarh, Salumbar, and Udaipur districts. No alert has been sounded for Barmer and Jaisalmer, while all remaining districts in the state are under a yellow alert for light to moderate rain. For Wednesday (July 8, 2026), an orange alert is in force for Baran, Bundi, Jhalawar, and Kota, with every other district — except Barmer and Jaisalmer — continuing under yellow alert.

Ongoing torrential downpours have caused significant waterlogging in several areas of Surat city, Gujarat. Many low-lying regions and major roads are completely submerged under water, throwing daily life out of gear and halting traffic movement. The administration is closely watching the situation as water continues to pool in different parts of the district.

The IMD announced a red alert on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) for Kerala's Wayanad district, as regions like Mananthavady and Vythiri witnessed intense downpours. Following a landslide near the Kalladi tunnel construction site around 11:00 a.m., the weather department issued this emergency warning at 12:30 p.m. In addition to Wayanad, neighboring Kozhikode district was placed on a red alert by the IMD, while orange alerts were declared for Malappuram, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts. Over the course of the day, Mananthavady recorded 64 mm of rain, whereas Vythiri registered 123 mm. According to weather parameters, a red alert is declared for extremely heavy rain exceeding 204 mm over 24 hours. An orange alert indicates very heavy precipitation ranging between 115 mm and 204 mm, and a yellow alert denotes heavy showers between 64 mm and 115 mm. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan confirmed that one person lost their life in the landslide, while seven others are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals. He added that seven people remain untraceable. Evacuation operations are underway for residents living in the vicinity of the affected area. According to a senior government representative, no laborers were present at the construction site when the disaster struck; the individuals suspected to be trapped beneath the debris are engineers and security personnel. - PTI

Intense rainfall in Pune has caused the river at Alandi to overflow, leading local authorities to block all four bridges for safety reasons. Pedestrians and vehicles have been barred from crossing. Water levels are rising consistently with the relentless rain, and administrative teams are keeping a close watch on the situation, advising locals and travelers to stay away from the submerged zones.

Two B.Tech final-year students from Andhra Pradesh, who found themselves trapped in a perilous spot at Mallalli Falls in Kodagu district, were pulled to safety by the Fire and Emergency Services Department on Monday (July 6, 2026). The saved individuals, identified as 23-year-olds Ganesh Nayak and Santosh Kumar, hail from Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district. After getting an emergency alert around mid-day, the Fire and Emergency Services team initiated a rescue mission and successfully brought both students to a secure location. Situated in Somwarpet taluk, Mallalli Falls is overflowing due to heavy precipitation in the catchment areas. As the southwest monsoon gains strength, authorities in Kodagu have repeatedly issued advisories cautioning tourists and residents against visiting water bodies, rivers, and other high-risk spots. The two engineering students from Andhra Pradesh, who were caught in a dangerous situation at the Kodagu-based Mallalli Falls, were successfully saved by Fire and Emergency Services personnel on Monday.

Residents of Mumbai saw cloudy skies and brisk winds on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) morning without any major rainfall, which came as a brief relief following 48 hours of heavy downpours that paralyzed daily activities. According to authorities, the IMD has put in place an 'orange' alert for the city, predicting strong gusts of wind and intense rain. As a preventative measure, all educational institutions, including public, private, and municipal corporation-run schools and colleges in Mumbai, will not open on Tuesday (July 7, 2026). The financial capital is currently observing a short lull in showers, although educational centers are shut and an 'orange' warning remains active due to forecasts of high winds and downpours.

Due to relentless rains in multiple areas of Karnataka's Malnad region, local administrative authorities have announced holidays for schools and colleges in specific taluks. As of July 7, all primary schools, high schools, and anganwadi centers in Mudigere, Koppa, and Sringeri taluks within Chikkamagaluru district were shut. Similarly, in Shivamogga district, academic institutions and anganwadis in Sagar, Tirthahalli, and Bhadravati taluks did not operate. The closure on July 7 applied to primary and high schools, as well as anganwadi centers in the taluks of Koppa, Sringeri, Mudigere, Tirthahalli, Sagar, and Bhadravati.

Heavy monsoon rains triggered a major mudslide near the entry point of the under-construction Wayanad tunnel road (Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi) project on Tuesday (July 7, 2026). The project links Kozhikode with Wayanad. The incident occurred at Kalladi near Meppadi in Wayanad, claiming at least one life, leaving seven missing, and resulting in the hospitalization of seven others. A massive rescue mission is currently in progress. The CM announced that two state ministers, A.P. Anil Kumar and T. Siddique, are heading to Wayanad without delay to oversee the situation. A sudden mudslip at the Wayanad tunnel road site has set off an extensive search and rescue mission due to apprehensions that several workers might be trapped beneath the mud.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that the Karnataka government will make a formal declaration regarding drought conditions in the impacted zones only after evaluating the state-wide situation under established legal protocols. While interacting with journalists at the Aiwan-e-Shahi Guest House in Kalaburagi on July 7 during his visit to check the rain deficit in the Kalyana Karnataka region, Mr. Shivakumar highlighted that a thorough evaluation would be conducted prior to resolving the issue. The Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar emphasized that the state administration is committed to making a final call after performing a detailed and complete review of the situation.

Members of the opposition demanded a full-scale debate in the Maharashtra Assembly on the heavy rainfall across the state, highlighting multiple casualties and extensive destruction. Speaker Rahul Narwekar stated that the adjournment motions submitted by the opposition did not conform to the established parliamentary guidelines and were consequently rejected. Nevertheless, he suggested that the opposition present the matter through a short-duration discussion or a half-hour debate, adding that he would allow the ruling government to issue an official statement on the issue. Congress leader Nana Patole requested the Speaker to put aside the scheduled daily agenda to address the severe rain impact, particularly in Thane, Mumbai, and other state regions. He mentioned that legislators from both sides of the house wished to deliberate on the casualties, infrastructure damage, and remedial actions required. Backing this request, Jayant Patil from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) stated that 12 people had lost their lives in rain-linked occurrences over the past two or three days. Pointing out administrative failures, he emphasized that the opposition did not want to turn the incident into a political matter but required the government to address the crisis. Furthermore, Shiv Sena (UBT) representative Bhaskar Jadhav asserted that 20 to 25 fatalities had occurred, stressing that heavy rains had caused losses in rural areas alongside urban centers. - PTI

On July 5, sudden flash floods combined with a landslide struck Thathri in Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir, leaving several shops and residential buildings severely damaged.

Intense rainfall on July 7, 2026 caused waterlogging in numerous localities across Ajmer in Rajasthan.

On Tuesday (July 7, 2026), the trustees of Shri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan appealed to warkaris to refrain from travelling to Alandi in Pune district for the annual palkhi departure ceremony. Citing the grave flooding in the area, they encouraged devotees to join the procession at a later stopover once conditions normalise. The trustees confirmed that the palkhi (palanquin) departure ritual scheduled for July 8 would proceed with only a restricted number of attendees. The resolution was reached at a trustees' meeting convened to assess the flood situation in Alandi, where the Indrayani river has breached the danger level due to unrelenting rainfall across Maharashtra. Every year, lakhs of warkaris — devotees of Lord Vitthal — undertake the wari pilgrimage, walking alongside the palkhi procession of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj from Alandi and of Sant Tukaram from Dehu to Lord Vitthal's temple in Pandharpur, Solapur district, ahead of Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Overnight rainfall of a relentless and torrential nature severely disrupted everyday life across parts of Nilgiris district on Tuesday (July 7, 2026), sources said. Heavy downpours over the Gudalur, Pandalur, and Cherangode areas of the district, along with subsequent flooding, led Nilgiris District Collector Bhavya Tanniru to declare a school holiday for the Pandalur region on Tuesday. Official records showed Cherambadi logged the highest rainfall at 88 mm. Local rivers and streams are running well above normal levels, prompting authorities to keep a close watch on low-lying pockets across the district. Parents and students have been advised to stay cautious, while the administrative machinery remains fully mobilised on high alert to handle any rain-related emergencies.

Relentless heavy downpour set off a major landslide in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, flattening five houses and trapping residents under the collapsed structure, police confirmed on Tuesday. The disaster unfolded in the Dahivali locality of Khed tehsil during the night of Monday, July 6, 2026. Rescue workers managed to pull a 75-year-old woman, Kalpana Shelar, safely from beneath the wreckage. Two other individuals — Shantaram Shelar and Satish Shelar — are still buried under the rubble. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, local police, and multiple emergency agencies rushed to the scene and mounted an intensive rescue operation, officials stated. Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant arrived at the site on Tuesday morning to take stock of the rescue mission and assess conditions on the ground. Large parts of the state have been pounded by heavy rains over the past several days, giving rise to landslides, uprooted trees, and severe waterlogging across numerous districts.

The Thane district administration in Maharashtra has imposed a ban — effective until further notice — on public entry to all tourist spots, including forts and water bodies, in view of forecasts warning of heavy rainfall. District Collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal issued the order on Monday under the Disaster Management Act, barring access to forts, waterfalls, dams, lakes and rivers to prevent accidents during the monsoon season. In the three days preceding the order, the district had been hit by severe waterlogging, fallen trees, and significant disruption to road traffic.

Flash floods swept through the upper areas of Thathri town in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, partially damaging a number of houses, shops and vehicles. No loss of life has been reported in connection with the incident. This is the third such flash flood to hit the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar within two days, as unrelenting heavy rainfall continues to batter the mountainous terrain.

Delhi's Tuesday morning (July 7, 2026) dawned warm and sticky, with the city's minimum temperature settling at 30 degrees Celsius — a full 2.1 degrees above the seasonal norm. This reading is also the loftiest July minimum the capital has recorded since July 2, 2024, when the overnight low had touched 30.7 degrees Celsius. IMD said the 'feels like' temperature at 8:30 am was 44.7 degrees Celsius, while relative humidity stood at 79%. - PTI

Nashik district in Maharashtra has been put on high alert. Visuals emerging from the area showed that heavy rainfall was continuing to pound the region with no sign of any letup.

An extraordinary 600 mm of rain crammed into a single 24-hour spell set off a succession of landslides along the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune rail corridor, leaving train services severely disrupted over the past two days, officials confirmed. Official data showed that Lonavala — the popular hill station in Pune district — recorded 670 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour window that closed at 7 am on Monday (July 6, 2026). Officials said as many as 22 separate landslide incidents were reported across Pune district over those two days. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, stated that the ghat section had also received around 300 mm of rain on Sunday. - PTI

Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh announced that he will preside over a high-level meeting with senior departmental officials to review the state's disaster preparedness and monsoon response arrangements. Talking to ANI, Mr. Singh said the meeting's agenda would cover road connectivity, bridge installations, deployment of heavy machinery and an assessment of the state's overall readiness to manage monsoon-related disruptions. "We are making every effort. I have convened a high-level meeting tomorrow with senior PWD officials. We will review in detail where bridges need to be installed, where heavy machinery and robotic equipment need to be deployed and what additional measures are required. Every effort will be made to reopen roads immediately wherever they are blocked due to the monsoon," he said. - ANI

The India Meteorological Department has placed Mumbai under an 'orange' alert, warning residents of heavy downpours and powerful gusts sweeping across the city, officials confirmed. An official noted that the orange alert calls on the public to prepare for severely harsh weather that could spark widespread disruptions — including delays in public transport and failures in electricity supply. In IMD's four-tier colour-coded warning framework, orange occupies the third level, ranking above yellow in severity while falling short of the most critical red alert. - PTI

Residents of Mumbai stepped into a Monday blanketed by thick clouds and swept by brisk winds. The IMD has kept the city under an orange alert for the day. See visuals below:

A two-year-old girl lost her life and several other people were affected as rainfall driven by a low-pressure system hammered Odisha, with officials flagging growing flood risk along the Baitarani River on Monday (July 6, 2026). The child, identified as Chandini Munda, was killed after a wall gave way in the Thakurmunda area of Mayurbhanj district late on Sunday (July 5, 2026) night. "She had been asleep inside a dilapidated house with her mother. Two others got out in time, but the young child could not be saved," said Thakurmunda police station inspector-in-charge Tushar Ranjan Nayak. A 45-year-old man named Suresh Maharana went missing on Sunday (July 5, 2026) night after a sudden torrent of water through a drainage channel at Bagdihipada, on the outskirts of Sambalpur, swept him away. - PTI

The southwest monsoon is currently running at an exceptionally vigorous pace across western India. Moisture-laden south-westerly winds are sweeping across the Western Ghats and triggering heavy downpours along the Konkan coastline, while additional offshore weather systems are channelling even more moisture toward Mumbai and its surrounding areas. For urban centres, what ultimately matters far more than total accumulated rainfall is the rate and intensity at which rain falls in a short span.

Torrential rain descended on Palghar on Monday, July 6, 2026, claiming one life and forcing the relocation of hundreds of families, officials said. By Monday morning, the district had logged an average of 132.1 mm of rainfall, with cumulative totals believed to have crossed the 350 mm to 400 mm mark. Among the talukas, Vasai recorded the heaviest downpour at 203.0 mm, followed by Wada at 180.6 mm, Palghar at 164.6 mm, and Dahanu at 103.1 mm. District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar said that 286 families from hamlets near the Zanzroli dam — including Mandal Pada, Devshet Pada, and Dhondal Pada — were moved to secure locations. Beyond that, another 491 residents were evacuated from other flood-vulnerable areas: 195 from Chandrapada–Wakipada in Vasai, 65 from Kaman–Bhendipada–Morigaon, 76 from Arnala, and 56 from Tembhi. The unrelenting downpour also inflicted considerable damage on local infrastructure, officials added.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has declared a holiday for all educational institutions in Mumbai — covering government, private, and civic-run schools and colleges alike — on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in light of the India Meteorological Department's orange alert for heavy rain and gusty winds across the city. In an official release issued on Monday night, July 6, 2026, the BMC described the shutdown as a precautionary step taken to protect students given the IMD's forecast. The corporation also urged residents to step outside only when absolutely necessary, and advised anyone facing an emergency to reach its helpline at 1916.

A staggering 600 millimetres of rainfall hit the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section on the Mumbai-Pune rail corridor within a single 24-hour window, unleashing numerous landslides and causing severe disruptions to train movement, Central Railway officials said on Monday, July 6, 2026. Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila noted that the Ghat section had already been drenched by around 300 mm the day before. He said that on Sunday, July 5, 2026, roughly 160 mm of rain fell in just the opening four hours, triggering slides at multiple vulnerable points. The first landslide occurred close to Thakurwadi, affecting all three lines in Bhor Ghat, while a second one struck between Monkey Hill and Khandala. Mr. Nila added that tracks have sustained extensive damage at certain locations, but restoration crews have pushed ahead swiftly despite rain falling without a break in the Ghat section since early morning.

The carriageway heading toward Mumbai on the 'Missing Link' bypass of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was reopened on Monday night, July 6, 2026, after remaining blocked for over 18 hours following a landslide set off by heavy overnight rainfall. A senior Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) official told PTI that vehicular movement resumed at 10.10 p.m., once safety teams wrapped up their inspection of the affected stretch. The Mumbai-bound lane had been sealed since around 4 a.m., after a landslide occurred near the exit of Tunnel 2 — the longest tunnel on the Missing Link, which cuts through the Sahyadri mountain range.