Explainer: Why Is Uttar Pradesh Seeing Heavy, Continuous Rainfall
Uttar Pradesh is experiencing severe flooding and heavy rainfall, resulting in 56 deaths and widespread infrastructure damage. The India Meteorological Department attributes the deluge to the rare convergence of a 'Deep Depression' and an incoming 'Western Disturbance'.
Why it matters
The extreme weather event highlights the increasing vulnerability of North Indian states to climate-driven atmospheric anomalies during the monsoon withdrawal phase.
Days of wet spell have created a sea of problems in Uttar Pradesh. As per the state's Office of Relief Commissioner, as many as 56 people lost their lives and 46 were injured in incidents related to the deluge. Heavy rains accompanied by strong surface winds reaching 30-40 km/h threw life out of gear, knocked down trees, uprooted electric poles, and inundated roads, lanes, and villages across Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, and numerous other districts. Going by official data, Uttar Pradesh, against a normal daily average of just 1.8 mm, recorded 45.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours by Sunday morning, with 56 out of the state's 75 districts registering excessive rainfall. What Is The Cause?The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributes this widespread flood-like situation to the rare atmospheric convergence of two distinct weather systems operating simultaneously over Northern India.
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