Jaipur flooding: Heavy rainfall brings major Indian cities to a standstill
Words by Sanjay Jha, ITV News Delhi
Heavy rainfall continues to batter states across India with rivers in several parts of the country flowing above the danger mark, aggravating an already dangerous situation.
Rains lashed Jaipur city, state capital of desert Indian state of Rajasthan, on Fridaywith over 100mm rainfall was recorded in just six hours.
Downpours led to severe water-logging bringing life to standstill in many parts of Jaipur with roads submerged with up to three feet of water.
In the eastern Indian state of Bihar, nearly eight million people have been affected by floods and at least 24 deaths have been reported.
Meanwhile more than five million people have been affected by flooding in the north eastern state of Assam.
Bihar faces the twin crises of Covid-19 and flooding. People are expected to take shelter together in relief camps, impacting on social distancing measures
Mumbai, India’s commercial capital has ground to a halt after heaviest August rainfall in 47 years causing widespread flooding. One woman and two children were swept away in a flooded drain after heavy rain.
Though monsoon flooding in Mumbai is an annual phenomenon, this year the floods reached areas that have never experienced it before.
Mumbai is the worst-affected city in the country. Scores of videos shared on socialmedia show streets and homes in Mumbai deluged by heavy monsoon rains, drivenby high winds.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts active monsoon conditions over large parts of the country leading to "heavy to very heavy rainfall" during the next two to three days.
Fairly widespread heavy rainfall at isolated places are very likely over major parts of north India.The heavy rains are likely to continue for the next few weeks before rapidly diminishing in coverage and intensity into September.