India's monsoon crisis has intensified after two cloudbursts struck Jammu and Kashmir within hours, triggering flash floods and damaging homes, shops, schools, and commercial establishments.

The first cloudburst hit the Chhatru area of Kishtwar district, while another struck Pahalipora village in Doda district, sending torrents of water and mud through residential areas. Emergency teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and district authorities, launched rescue operations and safely evacuated residents. Authorities have reported no casualties so far, while damage assessments continue.

The latest incidents come as devastating floods continue across several Indian states. Assam remains the worst-affected state, with at least 82 flood-related deaths, while Odisha, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh are also grappling with heavy rainfall and widespread flooding.

Cloudbursts Hit J&K As Monsoon Fury Intensifies | Flash Floods, Assam Death Toll Rises To 82

Gujarat is facing a severe flood-like situation after relentless heavy rainfall battered several parts of South Gujarat. Around 1,200 stranded people have been rescued and more than 22,000 residents have been relocated to safer areas as districts including Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kheda, Tapi and Dang continue to face the impact of intense rainfall. Valsad’s Umbergaon taluka recorded nearly 1,200 mm rainfall in just 36 hours, causing widespread flooding, waterlogging and disruption to normal life. Rivers have overflowed, roads have been submerged, and several villages have been cut off. Teams of the NDRF, SDRF and Indian Army have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. The India Meteorological Department has issued red and orange alerts for several Gujarat districts as more heavy rainfall is expected.

Gujarat Flood Crisis: 22,000 People Relocated, 1,200 Rescued After Record Rainfall In South Gujarat

The monsoons bring along not only pleasant weather, but also excessive amounts of moisture, which can be harmful for the interior of your house. With increasing humidity levels, your wooden furniture starts swelling, fabrics start holding moisture, metal furniture develops rust, and an unpleasant smell starts emanating from the furniture. However, all of these problems are avoidable. All it takes is some preventive measures taken prior to the onset of the rainy season.<h3>Mistake 1: Inadequate protection of wooden furniture</h3>Since the material is natural and has its own characteristics, wood tends to absorb water easily. Thus, chances are high that your wooden furniture might swell, get warped or even mould during the humid weather in the monsoon period. Such issues can be avoided by covering wooden furniture with wax or wood oil before the onset of the rainy season. It is applicable in all spaces, especially in inaccessible places.<h3>Mistake 2: Arrangement of furniture near the walls</h3>The arrangement of the sofa, wardrobe, or bed close to the walls outside the room will prevent moisture flow inside and lead to moisture and mould accumulation inside the room. But having two to three inches of additional space between the furniture and the floor is very effective.

Representative of the furniture in the house

<h3>Mistake 3: Ignoring upholstery materials</h3>Moisture makes the sofa material a suitable area for growth of smell and fungus. Cleaning and drying up the furniture well before the rainy season is essential. One can also spray some form of protection on the sofas and chairs. The best way would be to use soft linen furniture covers.&nbsp;‘’It is only those homes which have made adequate preparation before the monsoon that make sure that their furniture looks beautiful when the rains come through. Furniture cleaning, wood treatment, a fabric spray, taking out items from walls, all of them are not very difficult or costly, yet the difference it makes in the period of three months with high humidity becomes a lot significant. I always advise the homeowners to look at the process of preparing the furniture during pre-monsoon, just like they do with their skin care routines. The little effort before the harm happens will make sure that it lasts for many years to come. Monsoon is such a beautiful season. Why not your furniture?'' Raghunandan Saraf, Founder and CEO of Saraf Furniture.

<h3>Mistake 4: Ignoring your balcony furniture</h3>The outdoor place, especially the balcony, is the place where furniture gets affected by rain first. Metal can rust, whereas cane and rattan can become weak due to the constant moisture exposure. Move all the movable outdoor furniture inside and use waterproof covers for the rest before the monsoon season starts.&nbsp;The most common mistake that homeowners commit prior to the monsoon season is waiting for their furniture to show any signs of damage before doing anything about it. Prevention is always better than cure. Wood furniture must be either waxed or coated with a protective sealant prior to increased humidity levels, and upholstery furniture must be properly maintained through periodic vacuuming and proper ventilation to avoid excess moisture. Furniture must be positioned several inches away from the walls to promote ventilation and avoid moisture formation. Covering balcony furniture with water-resistant covers or bringing it inside is recommended as well.&nbsp;The monsoon will be on time, just like always. Whether your furniture survives it or not will depend entirely on what you do in those two weeks.

Since the material is natural and has its own characteristics, wood tends to absorb water easily. Thus, chances are high that your wooden furniture might swell, get warped or even mould during the humid weather in the monsoon period

The monsoons bring along not only pleasant weather, but also excessive amounts of moisture, which can be harmful for the interior of your house. With increasing humidity levels, your wooden furniture starts swelling, fabrics start holding moisture, metal furniture develops rust, and an unpleasant smell starts emanating from the furniture. However, all of these problems are avoidable. All it takes is some preventive measures taken prior to the onset of the rainy season. Mistake 1: Inadequate protection of wooden furniture Since the material is natural and has its own characteristics, wood tends to absorb water easily. Thus, chances are high that your wooden furniture might swell, get warped or even mould during the humid weather in the monsoon period. Such issues can be avoided by covering wooden furniture with wax or wood oil before the onset of the rainy season. It is applicable in all spaces, especially in inaccessible places. Mistake 2: Arrangement of furniture near the walls The arrangement of the sofa, wardrobe, or bed close to the walls outside the room will prevent moisture flow inside and lead to moisture and mould accumulation inside the room. But having two to three inches of additional space between the furniture and the floor is very effective.

The arrangement of the sofa, wardrobe, or bed close to the walls outside the room will prevent moisture flow inside and lead to moisture and mould accumulation inside the room. But having two to three inches of additional space between the furniture and the floor is very effective.&nbsp;

Common furniture problems in Indian houses during monsoons & how to prevent them


India's monsoon continues to impact several states with heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides. A cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir triggered flooding in Pahalgam, while landslides blocked key highways in Uttarakhand. Rescue operations are ongoing in Kerala, and the IMD has forecast more heavy rainfall across multiple regions. Here's the latest India weather and monsoon update.

India monsoon: cloudburst hits Kashmir, Uttarakhand landslides, IMD issues heavy rain alert

The Southwest monsoon arrived in India on June 4 with heavy rains lashing entire Kerala. The onset date of Southwest Monsoon in India is June 1, with rains first hitting Kerala and slowly advancing further. But this time it was three days behind its usual schedule, though this deviation is normal.&nbsp;In fact the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) had forecast monsoon to hit Kerala as early as May 26, 2026, but weather systems later changed and Southwest Monsoon got delayed in India.&nbsp;However, the Southwest Monsoon has covered large parts of the country but good rains have so far eluded North India. According to India Meteorological Department, the Northern Limit of Monsoon is advancing towards more parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next three to four days.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-reportedly-invites-modi-for-ali-khamenei-s-funeral-how-will-india-navigate-the-offer-wion-decodes-1782416505899">Iran reportedly invites Modi for Ali Khamenei’s funeral. How will India navigate the offer? WION Decodes</a>&nbsp;But this has not translated into good rains so far. One of the reasons according to IMD is absence of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which helps to draw moisture inland. Also the developing El Niño conditions and weak wind convergence have kept North India bereft of good rains till now.<h2>Key factors causing the dry spell</h2>&nbsp;<ul><li>Lack of Low-Pressure Systems that pull huge amounts of moisture from the ocean toward the core monsoon zone is missing</li><li>Stalled Monsoon Circulation is another reason for lack of rains in North India. Though the monsoon boundary is technically advancing northward, it is dry lacking strong moisture-bearing winds that cause actual precipitation</li><li>Weather observers also point to weak Somali Jets, weak Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) activity, dry westerly winds, neutral Indian Ocean Dipole, and developing El Niño conditions among factors leading to reduced rains in North India</li></ul>The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already predicted the 2026 southwest monsoon rainfall for the country as a whole to be 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA) with an error margin of ± 4%.&nbsp;Also a developing El Niño which is the abnormal warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean disrupts atmospheric circulation (the Walker Cell) and suppresses the southwest monsoon. The weather phenomenon results in below-normal rainfall, increased dry spells ("breaks"), and heightened agricultural and economic stress in affected countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One of the reasons according to IMD is absence of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which helps to draw moisture inland. 

The Southwest monsoon arrived in India on June 4 with heavy rains lashing entire Kerala. The onset date of Southwest Monsoon in India is June 1, with rains first hitting Kerala and slowly advancing further. But this time it was three days behind its usual schedule, though this deviation is normal. In fact the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) had forecast monsoon to hit Kerala as early as May 26, 2026, but weather systems later changed and Southwest Monsoon got delayed in India. However, the Southwest Monsoon has covered large parts of the country but good rains have so far eluded North India. According to India Meteorological Department, the Northern Limit of Monsoon is advancing towards more parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next three to four days. ALSO READ: Iran reportedly invites Modi for Ali Khamenei’s funeral. How will India navigate the offer? WION Decodes But this has not translated into good rains so far. One of the reasons according to IMD is absence of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which helps to draw moisture inland. Also the developing El Niño conditions and weak wind convergence have kept North India bereft of good rains till now. Key factors causing the dry spell Lack of Low-Pressure Systems that pull huge amounts of moisture from the ocean toward the core monsoon zone is missing Stalled Monsoon Circulation is another reason for lack of rains in North India. Though the monsoon boundary is technically advancing northward, it is dry lacking strong moisture-bearing winds that cause actual precipitation Weather observers also point to weak Somali Jets, weak Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) activity, dry westerly winds, neutral Indian Ocean Dipole, and developing El Niño conditions among factors leading to reduced rains in North India The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already predicted the 2026 southwest monsoon rainfall for the country as a whole to be 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA) with an error margin of ± 4%. Also a developing El Niño which is the abnormal warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean disrupts atmospheric circulation (the Walker Cell) and suppresses the southwest monsoon. The weather phenomenon results in below-normal rainfall, increased dry spells ("breaks"), and heightened agricultural and economic stress in affected countries.

One of the reasons according to IMD is absence of low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which helps to draw moisture inland.&nbsp;

Why is North India still dry despite monsoon advancing? WION Decodes reason for delay in good rain

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Cloudbursts Hit J&K As Monsoon Fury Intensifies | Flash Floods, Assam Death Toll Rises To 82

Gujarat Flood Crisis: 22,000 People Relocated, 1,200 Rescued After Record Rainfall In South Gujarat

Common furniture problems in Indian houses during monsoons & how to prevent them

India monsoon: cloudburst hits Kashmir, Uttarakhand landslides, IMD issues heavy rain alert

Why is North India still dry despite monsoon advancing? WION Decodes