NEW DELHI — India’s southwest monsoon continued to advance across additional parts of the country, bringing widespread rainfall and prompting weather warnings for several states as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast an active spell over the coming days.
The IMD said conditions remained favourable for the monsoon to spread into more parts of the North Arabian Sea, Gujarat, the remaining areas of Haryana and Punjab, and additional parts of Rajasthan after making further progress across northwestern and central India in recent days. The weather agency has reported steady advances since the beginning of July, with the monsoon already covering Delhi, all of Madhya Pradesh and expanding across Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan.
According to the IMD, a well-marked low-pressure system over the northwest Bay of Bengal has helped sustain an active monsoon phase over central India. The department forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in several regions, including parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, while isolated areas could receive extremely heavy rainfall.
The department also issued weather alerts for multiple states, warning that intense rainfall could lead to localized flooding, waterlogging, landslides in vulnerable hill districts and disruptions to transport. Authorities urged residents in affected areas to monitor official advisories and avoid unnecessary travel during periods of severe weather.
Heavy monsoon rains have already disrupted normal life in several regions. In Mumbai and surrounding districts, authorities issued a red alert as persistent downpours caused waterlogging, affected suburban rail services and prompted work-from-home advisories for many offices. More than 15,000 personnel were deployed for emergency response, while educational institutions, including Mumbai University, postponed scheduled examinations because of the adverse conditions.
In eastern India, several districts in Odisha suspended classes as heavy rainfall continued for a third consecutive day. The IMD issued orange alerts for parts of the state, forecasting further rain through July 7 and warning of potential infrastructure damage and flooding.
The southwest monsoon typically delivers about 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is critical for agriculture, reservoirs and water supplies. Seasonal rainfall also brings increased risks of flooding, landslides and transport disruptions, particularly during periods of intensified monsoon activity.
The IMD said the monsoon is expected to remain active over central and western India in the coming days, with favourable conditions for its further advance into the remaining uncovered areas of northwestern India.
