Prolonged monsoon causes mayhem across India, death toll mounts to 148

Mumbai: The extended southwest monsoon over the Indian subcontinent has not only caused devastation at several places in the country but has also broken some old records and set new ones.

Normal withdrawal of southwest monsoon begins by September 1 in most parts of north India. However, cyclone Hikka has brought more showers and stalled monsoon's retreat.

“The southwest monsoon arrived late over the Indian subcontinent this year. At the end of June, the rainfall deficit was of 33 per cent. Today, it is 10 per cent more than the normal, the official said.

Precipitation received so far is 10 per cent more than the normal, which is highest in the last 25 years, said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official.

Mumbai has received 3,669.6 mm rainfall so far this season – the highest in 61 years – as against its normal quota of 2,350 mm.

Several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are reeling from floods, with the death toll in rain-related incidents mounting to 148 in the country.

The highest number of deaths 111 were reported from Uttar Pradesh, while 28 people lost their lives in Bihar since last week.

In Patna, normal life was thrown out of gear, with several schools shut, roads inundated, and many shops, hospitals and houses submerged in knee-deep waters.

More than 4,000 people, including women and children, were rescued from the flood-affected areas of Patna on Monday, the NDRF said.

The force said it has deployed five teams, with about 45 personnel in each, to conduct rescue and relief works in the city.

Indian Air Force has commenced air-dropping foods and other relief materials to the people living in low-lying areas where the water level is said to be several feet high.

In Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, authorities had to shift about 900 prisoners to other jails after floodwaters entered the barracks of the district jail located near the Ganga river.

In a year the rest of India witnessed “above-normal monsoon”, Delhi recorded the lowest rainfall since 2014 with a deficiency of 38 per cent, the IMD said.

Besides these states, as many as 13 deaths were reported on Saturday from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

(With inputs from PTI)