New Delhi: The monsoon’s fury is tightening its grip across northern and western India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, warning of extremely heavy rainfall that could trigger flash floods, landslides, and road blockages.

Meanwhile, the country’s major urban hubs—Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru—are also on high alert, with forecasts predicting intense showers over the coming days. In Mumbai, the downpour threatens to swamp low-lying areas already struggling with waterlogging. Delhi’s spell of rain may worsen traffic snarls, while Bengaluru, battling waterlogging woes every monsoon, could see more flooding in vulnerable pockets.

The IMD has urged residents and tourists, especially in hilly areas, to avoid unnecessary travel, and local authorities have been asked to stay prepared for quick evacuations and emergency response.

Top weather alerts (as of July 6)

  • Red alert: Himachal (Kangra, Sirmaur, Mandi), Pune (ghats), Punjab
  • Orange alert: Jharkhand, Mumbai (Palghar, Raigad), Haryana
  • Heavy rain: Delhi, Bengaluru, Rajasthan
  • With rivers running fuller and clouds looming heavy, the coming days promise to test the region’s resilience against nature’s unstoppable deluge.

Himachal Pradesh is worst hit: As relentless rains batter north India, Himachal Pradesh is worst hit, with 240 roads blocked across the state—176 of them in Mandi district alone—due to heavy rain and landslides. The local MeT office has issued a red alert warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Kangra, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts on Sunday, alongside a flash flood warning for Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur.

An orange alert also remains in effect for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla, and Kullu, with risks of landslides, flash floods, waterlogging, and damage to crops and infrastructure looming large.

Since the monsoon arrived on June 20, the hill state has already reported 74 deaths, including 47 linked directly to rain-related incidents.

Red Alert in Punjab, Orange Alert in Haryana: The IMD has sounded a red alert for Punjab and an orange alert for Haryana over the next 48 hours, warning of very heavy rainfall until at least July 9.

“Active monsoon conditions are prevailing over the region. Punjab and Haryana will continue to witness rainfall activity until July 9,” said Surinder Pal, IMD Chandigarh director.

In Punjab, very heavy rain (120 mm or more) is expected at isolated places on July 6 and 7 across districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, and Rupnagar.

In Haryana, the downpour is likely to drench Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Panchkula, Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal. The capital city, Chandigarh, is also under orange alert.

Delhi: Cloudy Skies and Fresh Showers Ahead: In the national capital, the monsoon is set to intensify, bringing moderate rain and thunderstorms on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to hover around 35°C, with generally cloudy skies offering some relief from the heat.