Monsoon subdued in large parts of India

New Delhi: Southwest Monsoon activity remained subdued in large parts of India on Sunday, with heavy rainfall confined to Uttarakhand, Himachal, West Bengal, and the northeastern states.The India Meteorological Department, in its daily bulletin on Sunday, predicted 'isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall' likely over northeast India, West Bengal, and Bihar during the next 2-3 days and isolated heavy falls over east Uttar Pradesh in 4-5 days.The IMD also forecast weak rainfall activity in northwest, west central and over south Peninsular India in the next 6-7 days.Also read: Uttarakhand Rain Alert: Rainfall disrupts Kedarnath Yatra, several roads shut as IMD warns of heavy rainfall across stateFor Uttarakhand, the IMD issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall.On Sunday, heavy rainfall triggered landslides across Uttarakhand, blocking 126 roads, including two national highways, while a wall collapse in Dehradun left a woman injured and forced seven families to evacuate.Repair work was underway on the Yamunotri Highway, which has been closed for the past three days due to a landslide at Syanachatti.According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway has remained closed for the past three days after a landslide at Syanachatti.Himachal continued to be under a wet spell as light to moderate rains lashed parts of the state.Jogindernagar in Mandi district received 60 mm of rain in the past 24 hours since Saturday evening, followed by Manali (45 mm), Sarahan (38.5 mm), Rohru (25 mm), and Shimla (19 mm).The Cart Road, the lifeline of Shimla city, came to a standstill for a few hours when debris and a tree fell on the road near the Lift opposite the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) headquarters.In the national capital, Delhi, the maximum temperatures were in the range of 35-36 degrees Celsius while minimum temperatures were in the range of 26-28 degrees Celsius over the past 24 hours.The maximum temperatures were above normal (1.6 to 3 degrees Celsius) at isolated places and normal over the remaining parts of Delhi.The IMD said it expects no change in maximum temperatures over the next 7 days across Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh, too, remained rain-free on Sunday, in which maximum and minimum temperatures hovered around 36 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.In some areas where rainfall was received, temperatures were in the moderate category, particularly in the eastern districts.The local meteorological office has predicted rain and thundershowers at a few places in eastern Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in western parts of the state over the next 24 hours, with heavy rainfall expected at isolated locations in the northeastern region.In the state capital Lucknow, the Met office forecast a partly cloudy sky that is likely to become mainly clear later in the day.The southwest monsoon has remained below normal across Uttar Pradesh so far this season, with the state recording 158.8 mm of cumulative rainfall between June 1 and July 12 against the normal of 190.9 mm, logging a deficit of 17 per cent, according to the India Meteorological Department's district-wise rainfall data.In Rajasthan, a spell of dry weather prevailed across the state.Sri Ganganagar was the hottest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 41.7 degrees Celsius, followed by Bikaner at 39.3, Barmer and Jaisalmer each at 39 and Churu at 37.4 degrees Celsius.The weather office said it expects dry weather in eastern Rajasthan for the next five to six days.However, parts of the Shekhawati region, Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions may receive light rainfall between July 13 and 15, it said.The IMD also warned of strong dust-laden winds in western Rajasthan."There is a strong possibility of dust storms with wind speeds of 30-40 kmph in parts of Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions during the next two to three days," it said.West Bengal recorded heavy rainfall across the state.The IMD said an active monsoon will bring heavy rainfall over some districts of West Bengal till July 14.The sub-Himalayan districts of the state, which have been lashed by torrential rain for the past few days, are also likely to experience heavy precipitation till July 14, it said in a bulletin.The southern districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia and Murshidabad could receive heavy rainfall till July 14, while light to moderate rain is likely in the other districts of the region, it said.Pundibari in Coochbehar district received the highest rainfall in the state at 89 mm in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday, IMD data showed. ...