Monsoon has firmly taken hold across Uttar Pradesh, and its fiercer side showed up over the past day. Twenty districts saw intermittent rain, but Mathura and Kanpur bore the brunt of the downpour. In Mathura, a railway underpass filled with water up to neck height after heavy rain, while Kanpur also recorded heavy rainfall that left roads waterlogged and caused significant damage. The weather department has now issued a heavy rain alert for 17 districts today, warning that storms could hit wind speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour.
Boundary wall collapse triggers panic in Kanpur
In Kanpur's busy Phoolbagh area, a nearly 100 foot long boundary wall of the Ordnance Equipment Factory suddenly came crashing down on Friday. The loud noise as the wall collapsed sent panic through people nearby. It was a stroke of luck that continuous rain had kept foot and vehicle traffic on the road unusually low at the time, which prevented a bigger tragedy. Separately, an apartment building in the city had to be evacuated after its basement wall started sinking, and a pillar at another housing society was found tilted. The heavy rain also left several roads in Kanpur submerged in water.
Farmer killed by lightning strike in Jhansi
In Rajgir village in the Uldan area of Jhansi district, farmer Bharat Singh Kushwaha had gone to work in his field as he did every day. Amid heavy rain, thunder and lightning, a bolt struck suddenly, and Bharat Singh died on the spot.
Storms and heavy rain alert for 17 districts today
The weather department has issued a heavy rain alert for 17 districts of the state today, where storms are expected to hit wind speeds of 50 kilometres per hour, accompanied by thunder and rain. Some areas will also experience humid conditions. Separately, a yellow alert has been issued for 11 districts, including Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Meerut, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Jalaun, Kanshiram Nagar, Jhansi and Mahoba, warning of storms and rain with wind speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour. Anyone travelling through these areas or planning to step out should exercise extra caution.
Meteorologist says the pattern will hold for a week
Lucknow based meteorologist Atul Kumar Singh said the monsoon has now become fully active in Uttar Pradesh and continuous rain is likely in the coming days. He noted that temperatures have already dropped by around 8 degrees and that this weather pattern is expected to continue for the next week. However, he also clarified that this monsoon season is likely to bring below normal rainfall for Lucknow and the rest of the state.
Good news for farmers preparing kharif crops
While the rain will bring relief from scorching heat for ordinary residents, it comes at a crucial time for farmers, offering a big boost for paddy transplantation and other kharif crop sowing. The weather department has advised farmers to time activities such as irrigation, fertiliser application and pesticide spraying according to the weather forecast. Farmers growing paddy nurseries and cotton have also been told to keep proper drainage arrangements in place in their fields to prevent waterlogging that could damage their crops.
