Monsoon is critical for the country's 263 million farmers and their rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops because nearly half of its farmland lacks irrigation.
Lightning claims more lives in India annually than any other extreme weather event. Between April and July this year alone, 1,621 people died due to lightning strikes.
The southwest monsoon is likely to arrive over Kerala on May 31, a day earlier than its normal onset date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The district administrations of Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur have been put on alert following a warning for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in these districts on Sunday.
Experts question whether a cloudburst caused the recent flash flood in Uttarkashi, India, citing insufficient rainfall and other potential factors like ice chunks, rockfalls, or landslides.
Sukanya Verma lists fun things you can do, inspired by Bollywood, when it's raining cats and dogs outside.
Rediff readers share their best monsoon memories.
India has more variations in soil type and climate than perhaps any other region in the world. Even during a normal monsoon season, many regions receive scanty rainfall while other battle with floods.
After its late withdrawal from northwest India, the southwest monsoon remains active over some parts of the country.
The Northern Railways said it has cancelled around 17 trains and diverted around 12 others, while traffic has been suspended at four locations due to waterlogging.
Automobile retail sales in India rose around 5 per cent year-on-year in June with all vehicle segments, including passenger vehicles and two-wheelers, witnessing growth, Federation of Automotive Dealers Associations (FADA) said on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Parliament's Monsoon session is like a 'Vijay Utsav' as the Indian armed forces achieved their objectives under Operation Sindoor 100 per cent, and expressed confidence that the MPs will articulate this sentiment in one voice.
'For 40 years, India valued only technical skills. IITs, coding -- that became everything.' 'Soft skills were sidelined. But those are the skills that will keep you employable now, not technical skills.'
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He said six people have been rescued so far, and a search operation is being conducted on a war footing as some people are swept away.
It is essential to have a comprehensive motor policy, and not just a third-party cover, as the latter does not protect your own vehicle.
There was no report of any major water-logging anywhere in the city so far.
He clarified that though China has not announced any such move, but even if it happens, it would in fact help mitigate the annual Assam floods.
As rain clouds loom large over the final stretch of IPL 2025, a rule change meant to save games from washouts has instead triggered a storm off the field.
India's industrial production growth accelerated to a 4-month high of 3.5 per cent in July this year due to good performance of manufacturing sector, according to official data released on Thursday. The country's industrial output earlier recorded this level of growth at 3.9 per cent in March 2025.
Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation has revised its operational guidelines for operators during adverse weather conditions, emphasising that safety should take precedence over 'schedule adherence' and encouraged pilots to divert flights in unpredictable conditions.
Readers share their monsoon pics. You can share yours too.
The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday had predicted heavy rainfall for the next two days due to what it called cyclonic circulation around the maximum city.
'...than by the calendar.' Indian travellers are no longer restricting their getaways to summer or winter holidays.
Rediff readers send us their best monsoon photographs.
Total area sown till last Friday was 16.56 mn hectares, up 23%.
64 years after the Panshet Dam burst claimed 1,000 lives, the tragedy stands as both a haunting memory and a vital lesson in engineering caution.
The appliance makers expect a good churn in the festive season, led by the government's proposal to reduce the GST slab on air-conditioners from the current 28 per cent to 18 per cent, which will reduce the price from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 depending on the models.
Western Railway stated that local train services were running normally on Monday morning, however, commuters claimed trains were running late by 5 to 10 minutes.
Monsoon is expected to cover central and eastern India after Tuesday.
The IMD defines a normal monsoon as one which delivers between 96 and 104 per cent of the 50-year average rainfall for the season.
The early onset of the southwest monsoon brought continuous rainfall across southern and eastern India, contributing to this record.
The meteorological department in India has predicted that there will be normal monsoon rains next month that will result in better crops for the country's 234 million farmers.
Pulses are most vulnerable to pests and diseases if the monsoon remains patchy for the rest of the season.
The bodies of three labourers were on Saturday pulled from the rubble of a wall that collapsed at a construction site in the Vasant Vihar area in New Delhi amid heavy rain, officials said.
But the welcome morning rains led to the usual problem of water-logging on the capital's roads that resulted in traffic chaos at several major intersections during rush hour.
As the monsoon recedes from most of India, Guwahati was flooded after incessant rainfall.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, retail firms, and producers of consumer durables are witnessing stable urban demand. However, people in the trade are waiting for clearer signs of revival closer to the festival season, starting in September.
Weak monsoon has hit farmers and dairies alike.
Inundation caused by monsoon rains continued to trouble people here and in other parts of the state, while Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday inspected rain battered areas and distributed assistance to the affected people.
