India monsoon rains cause floods and Kedarnath pilgrimage disruption

The India Meteorological Department has issued heavy‑rain alerts for a wide swath of Indian states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Warnings cover thunderstorms, landslides and water‑logging, with orange and yellow alerts in several districts.

In Assam, floods have killed ten people in a single day, bringing the seasonal death toll to 41 and affecting more than 6.5 lakh residents across eleven districts. The rising rivers have intensified the risk of further casualties.

Uttarakhand experienced severe rain that closed 142 roads; authorities later reopened many, but the Kedarnath pilgrimage route was blocked near Chhaudi by debris and boulders, prompting a temporary suspension of the Char Dham Yatra before it resumed under close monitoring. In Mussoorie, the Kimadi alternative road was shut after landslides.

Despite the weather, schools in most regions remain open, though Jammu & Kashmir has announced closures until 26 July. The monsoon trough over central India and western disturbances over northern areas are identified as the primary drivers of the current weather pattern.