The monsoon season in India, spanning from June to September 2025, has resulted in a tragic loss of life, with over 1,500 people killed due to extreme weather events, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD's data, compiled from media reports, reveals the devastating impact of floods, heavy rains, lightning, and heat waves across the country.
Of the total fatalities, 935 were attributed to floods and heavy rains, highlighting the destructive power of overflowing rivers and waterlogged areas. Lightning strikes caused 570 deaths, while 22 lives were lost due to heat waves.
Madhya Pradesh was the worst-hit state, recording the highest death toll of 290. This includes 153 deaths caused by floods and heavy rains and 135 fatalities due to lightning. Other states, including Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra, also experienced significant loss of life and widespread damage.
The intense monsoon season brought torrential rain and cloudbursts, particularly affecting the Western Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir. These events led to flash floods and landslides, displacing over 150,000 people and causing hundreds of deaths. Incessant rain in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district triggered a "cloudburst" that reduced buildings to rubble, killing at least 10 people and displacing many more. Dehradun also witnessed similar devastation as intense rain washed away buildings, vehicles, and bridges, leaving 13 dead.
Maharashtra also faced the brunt of the monsoon's fury, with heavy rains causing at least 10 deaths. Four deaths were reported in the Nashik district, while Dharashiv and Ahilyanagar each reported two deaths, and Jalna and Yavatmal each reported one death. Heavy rains in the Marathwada region led to the evacuation of more than 3,500 people from inundated areas in Dharashiv. Mumbai experienced incessant downpours, crossing the 3,000 mm rainfall threshold for the monsoon season. The IMD issued an orange alert for Mumbai suburban, Raigad, Thane, and Palghar districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The IMD has issued warnings of increased rainfall intensity in several districts of Maharashtra between September 27 and September 30, 2025. Widespread rain and heavy rainfall are expected in Konkan, Central Maharashtra, and Marathwada. The State Emergency Operations Centre has cautioned citizens about the possibility of urban flooding in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts and urged them to remain alert.
Climate change is believed to be a significant factor contributing to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events during the monsoon season. A report by the Ministry of Earth Sciences indicates an increase in shorter instances of cloudbursts in the Himalayan foothills and along the western coasts of the Indian peninsula from 1969 to 2015.
