On August 22, 2025, dark clouds are raiding the skies across India, leaving a deluge of rain. People are awakening to flooding in the streets, soaked clothing, and family members running to stay safe. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued rain alerts for over 26 states and union territories with major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.
Where Are We Going?
The IMD has red alerts in place for large areas, including Gujarat, Goa, and coastal Maharashtra, where very high rainfall is expected. Two people have been killed in Rajasthan from very heavy rains, several homes have been flooded and there have been road closures. Orange Alerts are in place for Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and Pratapgarh.
On the morning of August 22, Chennai experienced very heavy showers, which prompted the IMD to issue orange and yellow alerts for parts of Tamil Nadu. Southern Bihar, including Patna, is under a heavy to very heavy rainfall alert for 9 districts and has more rain underway for the next two days.
Kolkata had no respite either – Ballygunge and Jodhpur Park received over 100 mm; abnormal traffic and waterlogged traffic jams developed with waterlogged roads. While the forecast indicated rains may dissipate across the weekend, apparently they are to return next week.
Lives Dislocated: Ground Reports
In Mumbai, things are a bit better with delays, but general business is not quite back to normal. Local train service was on delays, and passengers were walking in knee-deep water to their places of business or school (The Indian Express, Hindustan Times).
In Rajasthan, people were flooded, housing was broken, and state highways were compromised from town to town. The orange alerts remain a reminder of impending worse conditions.
Heavy rains pummelling Chennai this morning at dawn, and the residents were scampering to manage an array of activity – umbrellas opened, rain boots worn, umbrellas held, and rumbles of thunder.
In southern Bihar, distressed farmers throughout Patna, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, and Gaya were distressed about their crops as the rain appeared to be endless.
What Officials Are Doing
Every disaster response team across the states is on standby. In flood-prone areas, shelters are being organized, and volunteers are bringing food, clean drinking water, and medicine. Public safety messages on roads have been, “Don’t go out. Avoid flooded roads, don’t cross train bridges,” said officials.
The IMD is issuing alerts that range from yellow to red, called warnings, to allow people to get prepared and take action prior to a disaster. Specific regions have schools, colleges, and offices closed or about to remain closed, depending on the conditions there.
Safety Advice For All
1. Stay inside if you can.
2. Stay away from low-lying areas, rivers, and drains, they can change in an instant and be life-threatening.
3. Drive slowly and don’t attempt to cross flooded roads.
4. Stay warm and dry, increased humidity can be detrimental to health.
5. Wash your hands often. Beware of water related infections (think dengue or malaria), which often arise following heavy rain.
Forecast
The rain is probably unwelcome but will be a blessing and relief from summer heat. Nevertheless, it’s the floods and sudden downpour that make cities and towns worried. And with plenty of forecasts pointing to more rain in times to come, communities are preparing for what comes next.
At this moment, umbrellas are out, emergency telephone numbers are stored, fingers are kept crossed, and tea is waiting—hopefully to counter frayed nerves before the skies finally clear.
