Maharashtra Rains: Mahabaleshwar records 600mm rainfall in 24 hours, breaks all-time record for rainfall
Maharashtra continues to be battered by extremely heavy rainfall leading to floods in its various districts and a major landslide in Raigad. On July 1, the IMD had forecasted ‘below normal’ rainfall for the month of July 2021 in large parts of Maharashtra. However, several stations including Mahabaleshwar, Satara and Kolhapur, have received record-breaking rainfall this month.
Nidhi Jamwal
Heavy rainfall causes floods in Maharashtra; Chiplun in Ratnagiri, Kolhapur worst affected
District-wise rainfall data shows that except for five districts, the remaining 31 districts in Maharashtra received very heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri — all on flood alert — recorded 900%, 841%, 336% and 311% above normal rainfall, respectively. IMD has issued severe weather warning till July 26.
Nidhi Jamwal
Uttarakhand’s Harela festival celebrates biodiversity, nature conservation and the monsoon
The Harela festival in the mountain state of Uttarahand is all about thanksgiving for Nature’s beauty, generosity and bounty. It is a time when Nature is allowed to do her job and people pause from their hectic lives to enjoy her biodiversity.
Nidhi Jamwal
Bihar Floods 2021: 90% flood-affected respondents lack access to safe drinking water, half the toilets broken, shortage of food, finds a survey
A joint rapid needs assessment survey in three worst flood-hit districts of Bihar — Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran and Muzaffarpur — has found houses damaged, toilets washed away, rising hunger, loss of crops and cattle and several other impact of floods that have affected 15 districts of the state.
Nidhi Jamwal
Flash floods in Ganderbal, Samba districts of Jammu & Kashmir; 380% excess rainfall in the union territory in past 24 hours
Along with Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, several districts in J&K are facing flash floods due to extremely heavy monsoon rainfall. Ganderbal district received 2271% ‘large excess’ rainfall in 24 hours. But overall the UT still has deficient rainfall in the monsoon season so far.
Nidhi Jamwal
Heavy rainfall causes flash flood in Dharamshala, Himachal. But overall minus 18% monsoon rainfall in the state so far
Between 8:30 am on July 11 and 8:30 am on July 12, Himachal Pradesh received a whopping 130 per cent ‘large excess’ rainfall. This has led to massive flash floods in the state with Dharamshala being the most affected. But, of its total 12 districts, seven are still in the deficient rainfall category.
Nidhi Jamwal
171% above normal rainfall in Bihar in three weeks of monsoon; overall 37% excess rainfall in India
Between June 1 and June 21, the country has registered a rainfall departure of 37% — as against its normal rainfall of 100.5 mm, it has received 137.8 mm rainfall. Bihar, which is facing early floods this year, has received 171% above its normal rainfall for the same period followed by Uttar Pradesh at 158%.
Nidhi Jamwal
Rock and ice avalanche caused Feb 2021 Chamoli, Uttarakhand disaster, explains scientific study
On February 7, flash floods hit Chamoli district, causing widespread devastation. Two hydropower projects were washed away and over 200 people were killed or are still missing. Researchers have analysed the disaster based on satellite imagery, seismic records and eyewitness videos.
Nidhi Jamwal
Every second COVID case and death reported in May 2021 was from rural India
Last month, 53% of new cases and 52% of deaths due to the coronavirus were from rural districts of India, finds the ‘State of India’s Environment 2021’ report. What makes the situation more worrisome is the acute shortage of healthcare staff in rural India — a 76.1% shortfall of specialists at the CHC level.
Nidhi Jamwal
COVID hits tribal districts: In April 2021 alone, Gadchiroli reported as many cases as it did between March 2020-2021
Between March 2020 and March 2021, Gadchiroli had about 10,000 documented COVID cases and 100 deaths due to the virus. But, in just April 2021, the tribal district has reported approximately the same number of cases and deaths.