After a long wait, the monsoon has finally gathered full pace across Uttar Pradesh, with continuous rain in different parts of the state bringing relief to people from the scorching heat and humidity. But along with that relief has come trouble. The weather department has issued a red alert for heavy rain in 9 districts including Muzaffarnagar, Sambhal and Bijnor, while an orange alert is in place for 19 districts including Meerut, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur. A yellow alert for rain, thunder and strong winds has also been issued for 43 districts, with the possibility of lightning strikes in several areas. Heavy rain over the past 24 hours has already caused trouble in places, waterlogging in Ghaziabad claimed the life of a young child, while in several areas people were seen pulling their own vehicles through flooded roads. Schools in Ghaziabad remain shut today as well.
306mm rain in Najibabad, Bijnor breaks a seven-decade record
The monsoon is now fully active in Uttar Pradesh, and nowhere was that clearer than in Najibabad, a town in Bijnor district. On Thursday, the area recorded 306 millimetres of rainfall in 24 hours, the third-highest rainfall in the entire measured history since 1952. Rain of this intensity not only put local administration on alert but also badly disrupted daily life in surrounding areas. There was one silver lining to the relentless rain, temperatures in several districts dropped well below normal, giving residents significant relief from the heat and sticky humidity.
A storm moving at 50 kilometres an hour is expected today
According to the India Meteorological Department, 19 districts across western Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand are likely to see heavy to very heavy rainfall today, along with thunder and strong winds blowing at 30 to 50 kilometres per hour. That is precisely why these districts have been placed under an orange alert, so that both the administration and residents can take precautions in time. Alongside this, a yellow alert has been issued for 43 other districts in the state, where rain is expected along with strong winds and the risk of lightning strikes. The weather department says this spell of good rain will continue in western Uttar Pradesh for the next three days. After that, between July 10 and 13, widespread rainfall is expected in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well, meaning the monsoon will soon extend its grip across the entire state.
Orange alert districts and where heavy rain warnings apply
An orange alert for heavy rain has been issued for Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly and Sambhal in western Uttar Pradesh, meaning administrations in these ten districts have been asked to stay especially alert. In addition, warnings of heavy rain, thunder and strong winds have also been issued for Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah and Auraiya, along with Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Jhansi in the Bundelkhand region. Meanwhile, a yellow alert for rain has been issued across a total of 43 districts spanning Purvanchal, the Terai belt, central Uttar Pradesh, Bundelkhand and the Vindhya region, showing that monsoon activity is no longer confined to the western part of the state alone.
Alert issued for Lucknow too, but the monsoon there is still lagging
A yellow alert for rain and winds blowing at 30 to 40 kilometres per hour has also been issued for the state capital, Lucknow. The weather department expects intermittent rain in the city to continue until July 12, with the possibility of heavy rain on July 10. Interestingly, however, Lucknow has recorded significantly below-normal rainfall so far this monsoon season. Between June 1 and July 8, the city should normally have received 133 millimetres of rain, but only 51.9 millimetres has been recorded so far, a shortfall of 61 percent compared to normal. In other words, even as western Uttar Pradesh breaks rainfall records, the capital is still waiting to catch up with the monsoon. Overall, the weather department's assessment is that the monsoon will remain active across most parts of the state over the coming days, with rain expected to lower temperatures and continue providing relief from heat and humidity.
All schools shut in Ghaziabad today, strict compliance ordered
Given the orange alert's warning of strong storms, heavy rain and hailstorms, an order from the Ghaziabad District Magistrate has declared a holiday for all schools from class 1 to 12 today. The order covers all recognised and council-run schools, including those affiliated with CBSE, ICSE and the UP Board. The District Basic Education Officer has directed all schools to ensure hundred percent compliance with the order, so that there is no lapse in children's safety during the bad weather.
Three-year-old girl drowns in waterlogged street
Waterlogging caused by heavy rain in Sarvodaya Nagar, under the Vijaynagar police station area of Ghaziabad, claimed the life of a young child. Three-year-old Pallavi had wandered into a street outside her home that was filled with water, and within moments she was swept into the deep water. Her family rushed her to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared her dead on arrival. The child's tragic death has left the family devastated and cast a pall of grief over the entire neighbourhood. Police suspect the girl may have been swept toward a drain or a deep gutter amid the waterlogging, though this will only be confirmed after investigation.
