Monsoon depression triggers heavy rain and flooding across eastern India

A depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal, centered near coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh, is intensifying monsoon rainfall across large parts of India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red and orange alerts for several states, including Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.

In Odisha, the situation is critical as the Baitarani river has crossed danger marks, causing fresh flooding in districts such as Jajpur. Bahalda recorded 273 mm of rain in a 24-hour period. Since August 13, more than 8 lakh people have been affected by floods in the region, with approximately 2.79 lakh individuals evacuated and over 82,000 people currently residing in shelters.

As the weather system moves northwestward, heavy rainfall is expected to continue through the week, impacting Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. The IMD predicts that isolated locations may receive more than 20 cm of rain within 24 hours as the depression tracks across Jharkhand and Bihar.