In the just concluded month of June 2026, the first month of India’s South West 2026 monsoon, India received 99.5 mm rainfall, 40% below the normal June rainfall of 165.3 mm as per India Meteorological department. In June 2025, the rainfall was 180 mm, 8.89% above normal, June 2024 the rainfall was 147.2 mm, 11% below normal, June 2023 rainfall was 148.6 mm (10% below normal), in June 2022 the rainfall was 152.3 mm (8% below normal), in June 2021, the rainfall was 182.9 mm (about 11% above normal) and in June 2020, the rainfall was 196.9 mm (about 18% above normal) and in June 2019 it was 33% below normal. So in last seven years from 2019 to 2025, India had below normal rainfall in 4 years in June, and above normal in three years (2020, 2021, 2025). Nine times since 2008 June rainfall was below normal. The June 2026 rainfall is the fifth lowest since 1901, since when the records are available.
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DRP 060726: India needs to improve Rainfall Monitoring?
(Feature Image: A manual rain guage in Syunsal village of Pauri district, Uttarakhand. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
Two reports from Karnataka this week highlight that over half of the 6605 rain gauges in Karnataka are non-functional. Earlier we saw that IMD does not even report rainfall for at least 11 districts in Arunachal Pradesh alone, possibly since it does not have adequate number of rain gauges in those newly formed districts of Arunachal Pradesh. IMD’s Annual Report for 2025 says P 59): “IMD operates 1,008 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), 1,382 Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) stations, 200 Agro-AWS, 5 Automatic Snow Gauge (ASG) stations”. That comes to 2395 locations where rain or snow is measured by IMD, going by the Annual Report. IMD apparently uses rainfall data from other agencies, but their number is not given in the report. IMD also has a large number of manual rain gauges, but the IMD Annual Report does not provide those numbers.
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Impact of Sand Mining, Transportation on River Infrastructures across India
(Feature Image: Sand boats stuck in Prakasam barrage during Sept. 2024 floods. Source: Hans India)
This overview tracks the incidents of damage and threats to bridges and other river infrastructure across India between March 2023 and June 2026. The compilation shows that at least six bridge collapse incidents were reported where riverbed sand mining, sand transportation or excessive riverbed disturbance either directly contributed to the collapse or emerged as a significant risk factor alongside floods, poor construction and overloading.
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Pre Monsoon 2026: District Wise Rainfall in India
In the three month pre monsoon season (March 1 to May 31, 2026) India received 131.3 mm (185.8 mm in Pre-Monsoon 2025, 125.9 mm in Pre-Monsoon 2024, 146.6 mm in Pre Monsoon 2023[i]) rainfall, 0.54% above (42% above normal in Pre-Monsoon 2025, 4% below normal in Pre-Monsoon 2024 and 12% above in Pre Monsoon 2023) the normal rainfall of 130.6 mm as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In 2020[ii] , 2021[iii] and 2022[iv] India received 158.5 mm, 155.2 mm and 130.6 or 20% above normal, 18% above normal and 1% below rainfall respectively. So, India has received above normal rainfall in 5 of the last 7 years in Pre-Monsoon season since 2020.
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DRP 290626: Can 2027 Nashik Kumbh help improve the state of Godavari River?
(Feature Image: Godavari river in Nashik. Source: SANDRP Guest blog by Shilpa Dahake in Dec. 2017)
This week, the Question of Cities (QofC) has, with their focus on Godavari River in Nashik city in view of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbha Mela, once again sought to bring the question to centre stage: Can Kumbh Mela help improve the state of Godavari River rather than worsen it as seems to be the case currently? QofC has gone into depth related to various aspects that are worsening the state of Godavari River in Nashik, including concretization of the river bed and river banks, cutting down of large number of trees, destruction of kunds and generally worsening the water quality in the river. Currently, each Kumbh Mela seems to leave the river in worsening state, rather than improve it.
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June 2026: Flash Flood Disaster at NEEPCO’s HEP Site in Arunachal Pradesh
(Feature Image: Scren grab of flash flood passing through NEEPCO 43 Colony at PLHEP site in mornng hour of June 24, 2026. Source: Pratidin Time news)
A severe flash flood spell in the Poosa–Yazali area of Keyi Panyor district, Arunachal Pradesh on June 24, 2026, has significantly affected NEEPCO’s 43 colony located near the Panyor Lower Hydroelectric Project (PLHEP) site, close to the reservoir of the HEP. The disaster occurred around 6 in the morning, heavy spell creating a cloud burst like situation.
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The Nowhere-land of Ravi
As we reached Makora Pattan, sun was setting over the River Ravi and before us spread a sea of oranges and rubies. Late October kash blooms crowded the high sandy banks and across the vast silken expanse of water, the other bank was barely visible. Rivers of the Indus basin are called Darya in the plains of Punjab. Darya: a word interchangeable with the sea.
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DRP 220626: Bodhghat Dam Faces Strong Tribal Resistance
(Feature Image: Location of proposed Bodhghat and other dams on the Indravati River. Source: Research Gate)
The Bodhghat dam on the Indravati River in Bastar, Chhattisgarh has reportedly been revived after more than 45 years. The project was first planned in 1979 but remained stalled due to multiple concerns. Recently, govt has restarted the process of land survey for the project. It is now estimated to cost about ₹49,000 crore. The project aims to generate hydropower and irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares. It also promises drinking water and other benefits. However, it will submerge at least 13,783 hectares of forest and farmland including rich biodiversity areas.
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One More Monsoon: Governance, Accountability and the Collapse of Madhopur Barrage
“Ye paani samne aa gaya. Gate khul nahi rahe to grenade dalo, blast kardo. Ye pura beh jaayega.”
“The water is right in front of us. If the gates are not opening, blast them with a grenade. Everything will be washed off.”
– Ex-Minister Lal Singh Chaudhary (Basholi, J&K) at Madhopur Barrage, on the eve of Madhopur gate collapse.[1]
On the 27th of August 2025, after facing several days of floods from a swollen, angry Ravi River, three gates of Madhopur Barrage at Pathankot crashed into the brown, swirling waters. Around this time, a team of engineers and helpers were on the barrage, making dangerous but futile attempts at opening the jammed gates. Three people fell in the flood, two were rescued but one body was later recovered underwater, from the wrecked gates they were trying to open. Earlier that morning, 22 CRPF jawans were airlifted from a building next to the barrage, moments before it collapsed into the raging river. The flood unleashed a wave of destruction in the downstream.
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June 2026: Mining Destabilizing Himalayan Rivers, Infrastructures in HP, UKD
(Feature Image: Damaged bridge on Malan river in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand in July 2023. Source: Amar Ujala)
Unscientific mining of riverbed minerals has emerged as a major geomorphic and disaster risk driver in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh as per reports from past few years. Recent studies sharing examples of Ganga and Gaula rivers reveal broader pattern of how excessive riverbed extraction have been changing the very shape and behaviour of Himalayan rivers. The studies find that such mining is resulting in deepening of riverbeds, narrowing down of water channel thus disturbing the natural balance of riverbed minerals.
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