Delhi was hit by a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/22-dead-as-high-intensity-squall-hits-parts-of-rajasthan-134311">powerful thunderstorm</a> with wind speeds of 50-70 kmph on Monday night with the Meteorological department predicting rain in Delhi and adjoining areas in NCR.

Flights were delayed in the capital with power cuts and fallen trees reported in several areas.

Dust storm have already claimed over 130 lives in North India and left several wounded. The Delhi traffic police has&nbsp;issued a traffic advisory.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Massive dust storm hits Uttar Pradesh's Meerut. All educational institutions to remain closed today due to thunderstorm alert for the region. <a href="https://t.co/61WhZgXbon">pic.twitter.com/61WhZgXbon</a>
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Schools in Haridwar, Ghaziabad and Meerut are to remain shut today.

Rajasthan continues to reel under dust storm and heatwave. Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer recorded maximums of 41.2, 41 and 40.7 degrees respectively on Monday. A&nbsp;dust storm occurred in Sriganganagar disrupting normal life in the area.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Uttarakhand?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Uttarakhand</a>: Trees and electricity poles damaged after heavy rain and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DustStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DustStorm</a> in Dehradun. Visuals from New Cantt Road. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team at the spot <a href="https://t.co/J2gvXdC3LA">pic.twitter.com/J2gvXdC3LA</a>
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The Meteorological Department has issued duststorm warning with light rains in Alwar, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Dausa, Dholpur and Jaipur.

Meerut in Uttar Pradesh experienced dust storm with educational institutions due to be closed today.&nbsp;

The Met Department has predicted more dust and thundershowers in North India today.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Flights were delayed in the capital with power cuts and fallen trees reported in several areas.

Delhi was hit by a powerful thunderstorm with wind speeds of 50-70 kmph on Monday night with the Meteorological department predicting rain in Delhi and adjoining areas in NCR. Flights were delayed in the capital with power cuts and fallen trees reported in several areas. Dust storm have already claimed over 130 lives in North India and left several wounded. The Delhi traffic police has issued a traffic advisory. #WATCH: Massive dust storm hits Uttar Pradesh's Meerut. All educational institutions to remain closed today due to thunderstorm alert for the region. pic.twitter.com/61WhZgXbon — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 7, 2018 × Schools in Haridwar, Ghaziabad and Meerut are to remain shut today. Rajasthan continues to reel under dust storm and heatwave. Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer recorded maximums of 41.2, 41 and 40.7 degrees respectively on Monday. A dust storm occurred in Sriganganagar disrupting normal life in the area. #Uttarakhand: Trees and electricity poles damaged after heavy rain and #DustStorm in Dehradun. Visuals from New Cantt Road. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team at the spot pic.twitter.com/J2gvXdC3LA — ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2018 × The Meteorological Department has issued duststorm warning with light rains in Alwar, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Dausa, Dholpur and Jaipur. Meerut in Uttar Pradesh experienced dust storm with educational institutions due to be closed today. The Met Department has predicted more dust and thundershowers in North India today.

Duststorm in Delhi overnight, flights delayed; IMD predicts rain & thunder showers in North India

Delhiites can relish&nbsp;today's weather as light rains and thunderstorm are likely to occur in parts of Delhi and NCR, the Indian Metrological Department said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Thunderstorm and strong wind warning have been issued for 7 and 8 May in Shimla, Solan, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra and Una districts, Manmohan Singh, director of&nbsp;IMD added.

Thunderstorm and rain would also occur over some places in Delhi and adjoining NCR, including Faridabad, Ballabhgarh, Khurja, Greater Noida, and Bulandshahr. Thunderstorm with rain are will occur over and adjoining areas of Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor during next two hours.

Moreover, light rain and thundershowers are likely at isolated places during next 48-72 hours in Punjab. They are likely to increase in intensity and spread between 7-8 May.&nbsp;

Also, thunderstorm accompanied with Squall is also likely at isolated places during this period, the IMD reported.&nbsp;

The temperature will be at a maximum of 41 degrees Celcius with a lowest 28 at&nbsp;degrees Celcius on Sunday.&nbsp;

These pre-Monsoon weather activities have been instrumental in dropping the maximum temperatures. This has paved way for comfortable weather conditions across the city and adjoining areas of Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad.

&nbsp;

The temperature will be at a maximum of 41 degrees Celcius with a lowest 28 at degrees Celcius on Sunday

Delhiites can relish today's weather as light rains and thunderstorm are likely to occur in parts of Delhi and NCR, the Indian Metrological Department said on Sunday. Thunderstorm and strong wind warning have been issued for 7 and 8 May in Shimla, Solan, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra and Una districts, Manmohan Singh, director of IMD added. Thunderstorm and rain would also occur over some places in Delhi and adjoining NCR, including Faridabad, Ballabhgarh, Khurja, Greater Noida, and Bulandshahr. Thunderstorm with rain are will occur over and adjoining areas of Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor during next two hours. Moreover, light rain and thundershowers are likely at isolated places during next 48-72 hours in Punjab. They are likely to increase in intensity and spread between 7-8 May. Also, thunderstorm accompanied with Squall is also likely at isolated places during this period, the IMD reported. The temperature will be at a maximum of 41 degrees Celcius with a lowest 28 at degrees Celcius on Sunday. These pre-Monsoon weather activities have been instrumental in dropping the maximum temperatures. This has paved way for comfortable weather conditions across the city and adjoining areas of Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad.

Delhiites to witness rain, thunderstorm today

People in Delhi can look forward to the possibility of a dust storm as well as rains during the late evening or night hours today, Skymet weather reported.&nbsp;

A Western Disturbance is persisting in the Western Himalayas along with which an induced cyclonic circulation is also seen over Northwest Pakistan and adjoining areas.

Due to this, some weather is expected over the national capital and its adjoining areas of Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. However, the activity will only occur in parts and some areas may remain dry.

The temperature in the national capital will be at a minimum of 22.4 degrees Celcius with a maximum of around 38.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average.

Sunday's maximum temperature was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.5 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

The temperature in the national capital will be at a minimum of 22.4 degrees Celcius with a maximum of around 38.6 degrees Celsius

People in Delhi can look forward to the possibility of a dust storm as well as rains during the late evening or night hours today, Skymet weather reported. A Western Disturbance is persisting in the Western Himalayas along with which an induced cyclonic circulation is also seen over Northwest Pakistan and adjoining areas. Due to this, some weather is expected over the national capital and its adjoining areas of Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. However, the activity will only occur in parts and some areas may remain dry. The temperature in the national capital will be at a minimum of 22.4 degrees Celcius with a maximum of around 38.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average. Sunday's maximum temperature was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.5 degrees Celsius.

Thunderstorm expected to hit Delhi today

India's national capital recorded the hottest day of the season today with the mercury touching 40 degrees Celsius.

Last week Delhi was hit by dust and thunderstorm which gave Delhiites some relief, however, the temperature has been climbing ever since then touching a record high today.

Skymet weather had earlier predicted rain or thundershowers in the capital today instead the residents in Delhi had to bear the hot weather as the day temperature touched a new high.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature recorded was 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was at 20.5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological&nbsp;Department(IMD) today predicted normal monsoon in the country with rains due to hit&nbsp;the Kerela coast in May end or early June.

"Last two year India had a good monsoon and this year also we are going to have an effective monsoon," K J Ramesh, Director general IMD said. 
&nbsp;

Last week Delhi was hit by dust and thunderstorm which gave Delhiites some relief

India's national capital recorded the hottest day of the season today with the mercury touching 40 degrees Celsius. Last week Delhi was hit by dust and thunderstorm which gave Delhiites some relief, however, the temperature has been climbing ever since then touching a record high today. Skymet weather had earlier predicted rain or thundershowers in the capital today instead the residents in Delhi had to bear the hot weather as the day temperature touched a new high. On Sunday, the maximum temperature recorded was 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was at 20.5 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) today predicted normal monsoon in the country with rains due to hit the Kerela coast in May end or early June. "Last two year India had a good monsoon and this year also we are going to have an effective monsoon," K J Ramesh, Director general IMD said.

Delhi records hottest day of the season

Delhiites can look forward to some light rain&nbsp;later in the day today, continuing the streak of pleasent weather since the last couple of days.

According to Skymet Weather, parts of Delhi and NCR will witness rains around noon for a few hours with the temparature hovering at 32 degree Celcius during that time with mild wind at about 23 kms per hour.&nbsp;

The temperature recorded on Tuesday will be at a low of 21 degrees Celcius going on a high with 33 degrees Celcius.&nbsp;

On<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-wakes-up-to-mild-rains-lower-temperature--129250"> Monday</a>, thunderstorm, accompanied by light rain, occurred in Delhi, bringing down the temperature. The thunderstorm was preceded by a dust storm that dimmed visibility. The wind speed was 12 knots. Safdarjung weather station recorded 2.2 mm of rainfall, said a MeT department officer.&nbsp;

The temperature recorded on Monday dropped to 28.4 degrees Celcius from 33 degrees Celcius on Sunday.

The temperature recorded on Tuesday will be a low of 21 degrees Celcius with the high of 33 degrees Celcius

Delhiites can look forward to some light rain later in the day today, continuing the streak of pleasent weather since the last couple of days. According to Skymet Weather, parts of Delhi and NCR will witness rains around noon for a few hours with the temparature hovering at 32 degree Celcius during that time with mild wind at about 23 kms per hour. The temperature recorded on Tuesday will be at a low of 21 degrees Celcius going on a high with 33 degrees Celcius. On Monday, thunderstorm, accompanied by light rain, occurred in Delhi, bringing down the temperature. The thunderstorm was preceded by a dust storm that dimmed visibility. The wind speed was 12 knots. Safdarjung weather station recorded 2.2 mm of rainfall, said a MeT department officer. The temperature recorded on Monday dropped to 28.4 degrees Celcius from 33 degrees Celcius on Sunday.

Delhi weather: Look forward to pleasant weather followed by mild rains today

People in the national capital and NCR observed a pleasant weather on Monday morning as rain and light breeze hit several areas in Delhi and NCR region.&nbsp;

Many parts of the city saw mild showers early Monday morning followed by a wind speed of 81 kms per hour after which it witnessed a dust storm for a couple of hours.&nbsp;

The temperature recorded on Monday dropped to 28.4 degrees Celcius from 33 degrees Celcius on Sunday.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Rain lashes parts of the national capital, bringing respite from the heat. Visuals from Moti Bagh. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/kGmzKlmgyN">pic.twitter.com/kGmzKlmgyN</a>
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Rain lashes parts of Delhi <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/visuals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#visuals</a> from Delhi Cantonment area <a href="https://t.co/JCeqnPzrCw">pic.twitter.com/JCeqnPzrCw</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/983157687885205504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

On April 7, Delhi saw a massive dust storm in the evening amid the scorching heat, bringing the temperature considerably down. The strong winds reduced visibility and also caused minor non-structural damages and massive traffic jams in the Delhi, NCR region.&nbsp;

24 incoming flights were also diverted out of Delhi and caused up to one-hour delays in both arrivals and departures at the airport.

The temperature recorded on Monday dropped to 28.4 degrees Celcius from 33 degrees Celcius on Sunday

People in the national capital and NCR observed a pleasant weather on Monday morning as rain and light breeze hit several areas in Delhi and NCR region. Many parts of the city saw mild showers early Monday morning followed by a wind speed of 81 kms per hour after which it witnessed a dust storm for a couple of hours. The temperature recorded on Monday dropped to 28.4 degrees Celcius from 33 degrees Celcius on Sunday. #WATCH: Rain lashes parts of the national capital, bringing respite from the heat. Visuals from Moti Bagh. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/kGmzKlmgyN — ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2018 × Rain lashes parts of Delhi #visuals from Delhi Cantonment area pic.twitter.com/JCeqnPzrCw — ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2018 × On April 7, Delhi saw a massive dust storm in the evening amid the scorching heat, bringing the temperature considerably down. The strong winds reduced visibility and also caused minor non-structural damages and massive traffic jams in the Delhi, NCR region. 24 incoming flights were also diverted out of Delhi and caused up to one-hour delays in both arrivals and departures at the airport.

Watch: Delhi wakes up to mild rains, lower temperature

A powerful tropical storm that lashed the island of Madagascar has left 20 people dead and affected 19,000 more, according to an official toll.

The storm also closed several national highways that were flooded by the heavy rain, the country&#39;s disaster management office said late Monday.

In a previous toll late Sunday it said 17 people had died and 15,000 had been affected.

Storm Eliakim slammed into the northeastern Masoala peninsula on Friday before barrelling south down the coast. By Monday it had moved away from the Indian Ocean island and &quot;presents no more danger&quot;.

Madagascar, one of the world&#39;s poorest countries, is frequently hit by cyclones and tropical storms.

In January, cyclone Ava claimed 51 lives and in March last year at least 78 people perished in cyclone Enawo.

The storm also closed several national highways that were flooded by the heavy rain

A powerful tropical storm that lashed the island of Madagascar has left 20 people dead and affected 19,000 more, according to an official toll. The storm also closed several national highways that were flooded by the heavy rain, the country's disaster management office said late Monday. In a previous toll late Sunday it said 17 people had died and 15,000 had been affected. Storm Eliakim slammed into the northeastern Masoala peninsula on Friday before barrelling south down the coast. By Monday it had moved away from the Indian Ocean island and "presents no more danger". Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries, is frequently hit by cyclones and tropical storms. In January, cyclone Ava claimed 51 lives and in March last year at least 78 people perished in cyclone Enawo.

20 dead as powerful storm hits Madagascar

&nbsp;The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday notified that the depression over the southeast Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, thus causing rainfall or thundershowers over south Tamil Nadu and Kerala for two days.

Rain/ thundershower at many places on March 14 and 15 is very likely over south Tamil Nadu.

Rain/thundershower at most places with isolated heavy falls on March 14 and 15 over Kerala.

Rainfall at most places on March 14 and 15 with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places is very likely over Lakshadweep Islands,&quot; the IMD said in its bulletin.

The weather department further noted that gusty winds are likely to occur over Comorin area and along and off the south Tamil Nadu-south Kerala coasts during the next 36 hours, and along and off the Kerala coast in the subsequent 24 hours.

The same is also forecasted over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea the given dates.

The IMD further stated that the sea condition will be rough to very rough over the Comorin-Maldives area and adjoining sea areas during the next 36 hours and over Lakshadweep and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea off Kerala coast for the two days.

In this regard, a warning has been issued to fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea along and off south Tamil Nadu, Comorin-Maldives area, the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Mannar area during the next 24 hours.

Furthermore, fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Kerala coast, Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea on Wednesday and Thursday on account of the rough sea.&nbsp;

Rain/ thundershower at many places on March 14 and 15 is very likely over south Tamil Nadu

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday notified that the depression over the southeast Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, thus causing rainfall or thundershowers over south Tamil Nadu and Kerala for two days. Rain/ thundershower at many places on March 14 and 15 is very likely over south Tamil Nadu. Rain/thundershower at most places with isolated heavy falls on March 14 and 15 over Kerala. Rainfall at most places on March 14 and 15 with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places is very likely over Lakshadweep Islands," the IMD said in its bulletin. The weather department further noted that gusty winds are likely to occur over Comorin area and along and off the south Tamil Nadu-south Kerala coasts during the next 36 hours, and along and off the Kerala coast in the subsequent 24 hours. The same is also forecasted over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea the given dates. The IMD further stated that the sea condition will be rough to very rough over the Comorin-Maldives area and adjoining sea areas during the next 36 hours and over Lakshadweep and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea off Kerala coast for the two days. In this regard, a warning has been issued to fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea along and off south Tamil Nadu, Comorin-Maldives area, the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Mannar area during the next 24 hours. Furthermore, fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Kerala coast, Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea on Wednesday and Thursday on account of the rough sea.

Rains in Kerala, Tamil Nadu next two days due to depression over Arabian Sea: IMD

A<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/monsoon-rains-arrive-in-kerala-coast-north-east-16224"> US-based weather forecaster</a> has said India&#39;s monsoon may be slightly below normal this year.

Kyle Tapley, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/northeast-monsoon-brings-widespread-rain-spell-in-chennai-23142">senior</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/northeast-monsoon-brings-widespread-rain-spell-in-chennai-23142"> agricultural meteorologist at Radiant Solutions</a>, formerly MDA Earthsat told Reuters: &quot;La Nina is weakening and we are moving towards neutral weather, which is forecast to be followed by El Nino in the second half of the year as the most likely scenario.&quot;&nbsp;

Last year, the Indian weather office had said the monsoon would be below normal at 96 per cent of the long-term average. However, India&#39;s monsoon delivered 1 per cent more rain than normal. The IMD had said India would receive monsoon rains at 96 per cent of the long-term average or normal last year while forecasting annual rainfall.

&quot;Somewhat weaker than normal monsoon expected in India. It&nbsp;may stress soybeans, groundnuts and cotton,&quot; Tapley told Reuters in an interview.

The monsoon in India last year was blighted by erratic rainfall with droughts in some areas and floods in other parts especially in Assam, Orissa, parts of Maharashtra which worried Indian officials.

Although monsoon arrived on time on May 30 in southern India last year but scattered rainfall led to increase of prices of several vegetables with several areas receiving deficient rainfall.

Southern states Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu received less rainfall than in the drought-hit 2016 season, creating a scarcity of drinking water in 2017.

Last year, the Indian weather office had said the monsoon would be below normal at 96 per cent of the long-term average.

A US-based weather forecaster has said India's monsoon may be slightly below normal this year. Kyle Tapley, senior agricultural meteorologist at Radiant Solutions, formerly MDA Earthsat told Reuters: "La Nina is weakening and we are moving towards neutral weather, which is forecast to be followed by El Nino in the second half of the year as the most likely scenario." Last year, the Indian weather office had said the monsoon would be below normal at 96 per cent of the long-term average. However, India's monsoon delivered 1 per cent more rain than normal. The IMD had said India would receive monsoon rains at 96 per cent of the long-term average or normal last year while forecasting annual rainfall. "Somewhat weaker than normal monsoon expected in India. It may stress soybeans, groundnuts and cotton," Tapley told Reuters in an interview. The monsoon in India last year was blighted by erratic rainfall with droughts in some areas and floods in other parts especially in Assam, Orissa, parts of Maharashtra which worried Indian officials. Although monsoon arrived on time on May 30 in southern India last year but scattered rainfall led to increase of prices of several vegetables with several areas receiving deficient rainfall. Southern states Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu received less rainfall than in the drought-hit 2016 season, creating a scarcity of drinking water in 2017.

India's monsoon may be slightly below normal: US weather forecaster

Torrential rain has caused havoc in Queensland&rsquo;s north The Bureau of Meteorology said, adding that rains are now easing but it is still not over.&nbsp;

In the past four days, the amount of rainfall across Queensland has seen the region between Townsville and Cairns declared a disaster zone by the state government.

About 90 per cent of homes have been impacted in the northern town of Ingham, reports said. At least 20 schools and preschools in north Queensland will be closed on Monday after the &nbsp;torrential rain and flooding.

More than 200 homes at Ingham needed to be evacuated and locals at Innisfail were also affected by the dangerous weather.

With the possible threat of a cyclone looming off the coast, insurance expert Bessie Hassan was quoted saying ib reports that: &ldquo;Being precautionary now could prevent potentially thousands of dollars worth of damage later on.&rdquo;

The government would work to make disaster funding available to individuals and local governments, media reports said.&nbsp;

An aerial rescue operation is currently underway to rescue 68 Townsville school kids and 10 staff who were completely stranded at Echo Creek Adventure Camp as waters came dangerously close.

Three other students were flown out from the site yesterday, due to concerns about a possible gastro outbreak.

While Queensland has the highest occurrence of floods in the country, it&rsquo;s concerning that the sunshine state is also the least prepared for a natural disaster, with a staggering 823,560 of Queenslanders not having any measures in place to protect themselves.

Meanwhile, a giant spider was found dangling for life on a branch overhanging flooded water. The spider is believed to be a whistling spider (Australian tarantula) &mdash; the name relates to the sound they make when feeling threatened. They are also known as bird-eating spiders.

Found in the warmer and more arid regions of Australia, the largest species can grow a body length of 6cm and a leg span of 16cm, with powerful fangs 1cm long.

The government would work to make disaster funding available to individuals and local governments, media reports said

Torrential rain has caused havoc in Queensland’s north The Bureau of Meteorology said, adding that rains are now easing but it is still not over. In the past four days, the amount of rainfall across Queensland has seen the region between Townsville and Cairns declared a disaster zone by the state government. About 90 per cent of homes have been impacted in the northern town of Ingham, reports said. At least 20 schools and preschools in north Queensland will be closed on Monday after the torrential rain and flooding. More than 200 homes at Ingham needed to be evacuated and locals at Innisfail were also affected by the dangerous weather. With the possible threat of a cyclone looming off the coast, insurance expert Bessie Hassan was quoted saying ib reports that: “Being precautionary now could prevent potentially thousands of dollars worth of damage later on.” The government would work to make disaster funding available to individuals and local governments, media reports said. An aerial rescue operation is currently underway to rescue 68 Townsville school kids and 10 staff who were completely stranded at Echo Creek Adventure Camp as waters came dangerously close. Three other students were flown out from the site yesterday, due to concerns about a possible gastro outbreak. While Queensland has the highest occurrence of floods in the country, it’s concerning that the sunshine state is also the least prepared for a natural disaster, with a staggering 823,560 of Queenslanders not having any measures in place to protect themselves. Meanwhile, a giant spider was found dangling for life on a branch overhanging flooded water. The spider is believed to be a whistling spider (Australian tarantula) — the name relates to the sound they make when feeling threatened. They are also known as bird-eating spiders. Found in the warmer and more arid regions of Australia, the largest species can grow a body length of 6cm and a leg span of 16cm, with powerful fangs 1cm long.

Queensland floods: Schools shut, aerial rescue operation underway

Mumbai experienced its hottest day yet in March on Sunday with temperature rising by 4.7 degree Celsius from Saturday recording it at 37.8.&nbsp;

As per IMD-Mumbai, this was so far the hottest day in March this summer adding that Sunday&#39;s temperature was 6&nbsp;degree Celsius above normal. However, humidity levels were extremely low, leading to hot but dry conditions.

The weather station at Santacruz recorded 37.8 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees Celsius above normal, and Colaba recorded 34.8 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees Celsius above normal. On Saturday, Santacruz and Colaba had recorded 33.1 degrees Celsius and 30.3 degrees Celsius, which were much closer to the normal mark.

Officials have also informed that the weather is said to continue in similar conditions in future with some fluctuations.

The humidity level during the day on Sunday was 85% at Colaba and 77% at Santacruz but by evening levels dropped to 65% at Colaba and just 15% at Santacruz.&nbsp;

Night temperatures were close to the normal mark at the suburbs as Santacruz recorded 20.8 degrees Celsius but it was 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal at Colaba at 23.5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, Skymet, a private weather forecasting portal, predicted Mumbaikars can prepare to witness some light rains next week.&nbsp; Rainfall is expected only in the south Konkan region on the first day, followed by two days of isolated rainfall in most parts of Maharashtra.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officials have also informed that the weather is said to continue in similar conditions in future with some fluctuations

Mumbai experienced its hottest day yet in March on Sunday with temperature rising by 4.7 degree Celsius from Saturday recording it at 37.8. As per IMD-Mumbai, this was so far the hottest day in March this summer adding that Sunday's temperature was 6 degree Celsius above normal. However, humidity levels were extremely low, leading to hot but dry conditions. The weather station at Santacruz recorded 37.8 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees Celsius above normal, and Colaba recorded 34.8 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees Celsius above normal. On Saturday, Santacruz and Colaba had recorded 33.1 degrees Celsius and 30.3 degrees Celsius, which were much closer to the normal mark. Officials have also informed that the weather is said to continue in similar conditions in future with some fluctuations. The humidity level during the day on Sunday was 85% at Colaba and 77% at Santacruz but by evening levels dropped to 65% at Colaba and just 15% at Santacruz. Night temperatures were close to the normal mark at the suburbs as Santacruz recorded 20.8 degrees Celsius but it was 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal at Colaba at 23.5 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Skymet, a private weather forecasting portal, predicted Mumbaikars can prepare to witness some light rains next week. Rainfall is expected only in the south Konkan region on the first day, followed by two days of isolated rainfall in most parts of Maharashtra.

Mumbai records highest temperature in March

Heavy showers in Cape Town delayed the start of day three play between India and South Africa on Sunday.

The Virat Kohli-led Indian team is under immense pressure as the hosts have been dominating the proceedings so far.&nbsp;

On day 2, South Africa was able to build a sizeable second-innings lead after reaching 65 for the loss of two at stumps.&nbsp;

Hashim Amla and night-watchman Kagiso Rabada will seek today to extend the host&#39;s advantage of 142 runs with remaining eight wickets.

The South African seamers had bowled India out for 209 on a lively wicket offering plenty of assistance for the bowlers.

For India, Hardik Pandya played a blistering knock of 93 runs to save its drowning team which at one point were 92/7 after lunch. &nbsp;

The all-rounder proved his mettle by helping his team inch closer to South Africa&#39;s total of 286.&nbsp;

In the second innings, Hardik contributed with the ball as well by dismissing the Proteas openers at an early stage.&nbsp;

South Africa host India in three tests this month with the next two to be played in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Hardik Pandya played a blistering knock of 93 runs to save its drowning team which at one point were 92/7 after lunch

Heavy showers in Cape Town delayed the start of day three play between India and South Africa on Sunday. The Virat Kohli-led Indian team is under immense pressure as the hosts have been dominating the proceedings so far. On day 2, South Africa was able to build a sizeable second-innings lead after reaching 65 for the loss of two at stumps. Hashim Amla and night-watchman Kagiso Rabada will seek today to extend the host's advantage of 142 runs with remaining eight wickets. The South African seamers had bowled India out for 209 on a lively wicket offering plenty of assistance for the bowlers. For India, Hardik Pandya played a blistering knock of 93 runs to save its drowning team which at one point were 92/7 after lunch. The all-rounder proved his mettle by helping his team inch closer to South Africa's total of 286. In the second innings, Hardik contributed with the ball as well by dismissing the Proteas openers at an early stage. South Africa host India in three tests this month with the next two to be played in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

India vs South Africa: Day 3 start delayed due to rain

Lakshadweep is at the centre of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-navy-deployed-for-rescue-operations-25555">cyclone </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-navy-deployed-for-rescue-operations-25555">Ockhi</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-ockhi-navy-deployed-for-rescue-operations-25555"> with&nbsp;heavy downpour </a>and gale winds expected in the next 24 hours, the Indian Metrological Department has said.

India has posted <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rain-pounds-tamil-nadu-kerala-claims-eight-lives-25548">Naval vessels around Lakshadeep</a> and rescued at least eight fishermen caught in choppy waters. Reports say at least 30 fishermen are still missing.

&nbsp;&quot;The fishermen were found floating in the water by advance light helicopter,&quot; a Navy spokesman told PTI.

The Indian Meteorological Department said cyclone Ockhi has intensified into a &nbsp;&quot;severe cyclone&quot; and lies at about 110 km northeast of Minicoy island and it is &quot;likely to cross Lakshadweep arch during the next 24 hours.&quot;

Heavy rainfall has been forecast in several places around Lakshadweep. South Tamil Nadu has been lashed with heavy rains with Kanyakumari district bearing the brunt of rainfall.

The storm has made its way to Sri Lanka with reports of at least seven people being killed and several fishermen missing.

Heavy winds hit the island&rsquo;s southern, western and south-central areas on Thursday, as a result, the government declared a holiday for schools in the rain-hit areas.

At least hundred&nbsp;people are feared missing across India and Sri Lanka, with the storm having claimed at least sixteen lives as it makes its way through India&#39;s western islands.

Track Cyclone Okhi&#39;s path:

<img alt="" src="https://www.skymetweather.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Cyclone-Ockhi-Path.gif" />

The Indian Meteorological Department said cyclone Ockhi has intensified into a ?'severe cyclone'

Lakshadweep is at the centre of cyclone Ockhi with heavy downpour and gale winds expected in the next 24 hours, the Indian Metrological Department has said. India has posted Naval vessels around Lakshadeep and rescued at least eight fishermen caught in choppy waters. Reports say at least 30 fishermen are still missing. "The fishermen were found floating in the water by advance light helicopter," a Navy spokesman told PTI. The Indian Meteorological Department said cyclone Ockhi has intensified into a "severe cyclone" and lies at about 110 km northeast of Minicoy island and it is "likely to cross Lakshadweep arch during the next 24 hours." Heavy rainfall has been forecast in several places around Lakshadweep. South Tamil Nadu has been lashed with heavy rains with Kanyakumari district bearing the brunt of rainfall. The storm has made its way to Sri Lanka with reports of at least seven people being killed and several fishermen missing. Heavy winds hit the island’s southern, western and south-central areas on Thursday, as a result, the government declared a holiday for schools in the rain-hit areas. At least hundred people are feared missing across India and Sri Lanka, with the storm having claimed at least sixteen lives as it makes its way through India's western islands. Track Cyclone Okhi's path:

Watch: Cyclone Ockhi nears Lakshadweep, at least 16 dead in India, Sri Lanka

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-heavy-snowfall-in-jks-sonamarg-and-naranag-24253">Heavy snowfall was reported</a> in Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Kashmir too witnessed heavy snowfall with the Mughal Road remaining closed for traffic as night temperature plunged across J&amp;K.

&quot;The road remained closed for vehicular traffic for the second day as the area around Peer Ki Gali witnessed another spell of snowfall during the night,&quot; Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Mohammad Aslam told PTI.

Two feet snow had reportedly accumulated between Peer Ki Gali and Pushana, along the Mughal Road connecting Poonch district with south Kashmir&#39;s Shopian district.

The minimum temperature in Jammu fell by 1.7 degrees Celsius to settle at 9.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal on Sunday. 
&nbsp;

Kashmir too witnessed heavy snowfall with the Mughal Road remaining closed for traffic

Heavy snowfall was reported in Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. Kashmir too witnessed heavy snowfall with the Mughal Road remaining closed for traffic as night temperature plunged across J&K. "The road remained closed for vehicular traffic for the second day as the area around Peer Ki Gali witnessed another spell of snowfall during the night," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Mohammad Aslam told PTI. Two feet snow had reportedly accumulated between Peer Ki Gali and Pushana, along the Mughal Road connecting Poonch district with south Kashmir's Shopian district. The minimum temperature in Jammu fell by 1.7 degrees Celsius to settle at 9.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal on Sunday.

Watch: Heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district

The national capital received some rainfall late Friday&nbsp;cleaning up some of the smog.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> witnessed overnight drizzle: Visuals from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajpath?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajpath</a> <a href="https://t.co/GP3gsdPC0J">pic.twitter.com/GP3gsdPC0J</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931700262271463425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media.&nbsp;

Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital, reports say.&nbsp;

The approximate Air Quality Index of Delhi, which was measured at 363 on Thursday, decreased to 310 on Friday.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Rajpath after overnight drizzling: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Anand Vihar at 260, Punjabi Bagh at 251, Siri Fort at 236, Shadipur at 214 in Air Quality Index; all of them fall in &#39;Very Unhealthy category&#39; <a href="https://t.co/DIJh030LfO">pic.twitter.com/DIJh030LfO</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931701867918135296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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An AQI value between 301 and 400 is said to be under the &lsquo;very poor&rsquo; category of pollution.&nbsp;

Levels of particulate matter also decreased throughout the day in Delhi-NCR after showing a slight high on Thursday.&nbsp;

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49 trains delayed, 14 rescheduled and one cancelled: Visuals from New <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> Railway Station <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pollution?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pollution</a> <a href="https://t.co/1cq0W4oOnS">pic.twitter.com/1cq0W4oOnS</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931703944480309249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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As rains continue to hit the capital, the pollution levels and particulate matter are expected to decrease, making the air cleaner, reports added.

Meanwhile, as many as 49 trains were delayed while 14 rescheduled and one cancelled due to smog.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital

The national capital received some rainfall late Friday cleaning up some of the smog. #Delhi witnessed overnight drizzle: Visuals from #Rajpath pic.twitter.com/GP3gsdPC0J — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media. Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital, reports say. The approximate Air Quality Index of Delhi, which was measured at 363 on Thursday, decreased to 310 on Friday. #Visuals from Rajpath after overnight drizzling: #Delhi's Anand Vihar at 260, Punjabi Bagh at 251, Siri Fort at 236, Shadipur at 214 in Air Quality Index; all of them fall in 'Very Unhealthy category' pic.twitter.com/DIJh030LfO — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × An AQI value between 301 and 400 is said to be under the ‘very poor’ category of pollution. Levels of particulate matter also decreased throughout the day in Delhi-NCR after showing a slight high on Thursday. 49 trains delayed, 14 rescheduled and one cancelled: Visuals from New #Delhi Railway Station #Pollution pic.twitter.com/1cq0W4oOnS — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × As rains continue to hit the capital, the pollution levels and particulate matter are expected to decrease, making the air cleaner, reports added. Meanwhile, as many as 49 trains were delayed while 14 rescheduled and one cancelled due to smog.

Overnight drizzle in Delhi may help ease up pollution

Coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal will encounter heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours due to depression over the Bay of Bengal, said the India Meteorological Department on Thursday.&nbsp;

Officials have said&nbsp;that there is no need to panic as this will only last for about 24 to 48 hours and eventually move towards the north-east, Cyclone Warning Centre told media.&nbsp;

According to reports, there will also be heavy winds, blowing at the speed of 50 kilometers up to 60 kilometers per hour. Thus, advising fishermen to put their journey to the sea to a halt.&nbsp;

The chief minister also canceled the weekly holiday of field staff of the two departments as the farmers were struggling to save their crop affected due to the unseasonal rains, PTI reported.

A depression has been found over west central Bay of Bengal out of the Andhra Pradesh coast, situated 210 km from Machhlipatnam, 240 km from Vizag and 460 km from Gopalpur in Odisha, as per reports.&nbsp;

The district collectors are asked to report on the crop loss as soon as the rain stops, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said on Thursday.&nbsp;

Officials have said that that there is no need for panic as this will only last for about 24 to 48 hours and eventually move towards the north-east, Cyclone Warning Centre told media.?

Coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal will encounter heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours due to depression over the Bay of Bengal, said the India Meteorological Department on Thursday. Officials have said that there is no need to panic as this will only last for about 24 to 48 hours and eventually move towards the north-east, Cyclone Warning Centre told media. According to reports, there will also be heavy winds, blowing at the speed of 50 kilometers up to 60 kilometers per hour. Thus, advising fishermen to put their journey to the sea to a halt. The chief minister also canceled the weekly holiday of field staff of the two departments as the farmers were struggling to save their crop affected due to the unseasonal rains, PTI reported. A depression has been found over west central Bay of Bengal out of the Andhra Pradesh coast, situated 210 km from Machhlipatnam, 240 km from Vizag and 460 km from Gopalpur in Odisha, as per reports. The district collectors are asked to report on the crop loss as soon as the rain stops, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said on Thursday.

Heavy rainfall predicted in eastern coast due to depression over Bay of Bengal

A thick cloud of toxic smog 10 times the recommended limit enveloped India&rsquo;s capital New Delhi on Monday, as government officials struggled to tackle a public health crisis that is well into its second week.

A U.S. embassy measure showed levels of poisonous airborne particles, known as PM 2.5, had reached 495 on Monday morning, compared with the upper limit of &ldquo;good&rdquo; quality air at 50.

India&rsquo;s weather office said forecast rain over the next three days could help clear the smog.

&ldquo;Light rainfall is likely in states surrounding Delhi and in Delhi over the next three days, and this could result in a change in wind pattern in the region,&rdquo; Charan Singh, a scientist at India Meteorological Department, told Reuters. &ldquo;Smog will start to abate starting tomorrow.&rdquo;

The Delhi state government declared a public health emergency last week after pollution levels in the city spiked, a yearly phenomenon blamed on a combination of illegal crop burning in northern states, vehicle exhausts, and dust.

Over the weekend, the government said it planned to use fire trucks to spray water in parts of the capital, but the moves have had little effect.

A senior central government official said there was little more the government could do.

&ldquo;We can only do this much, and now we will have to wait for rains to clean the atmosphere,&rdquo; said Prashant Gargava, an official at the Central Pollution Control Board, a central body.

Gargava, who is in-charge of monitoring air quality, said Delhi&rsquo;s air has been consistently in the &ldquo;hazardous&rdquo; zone, despite measures such as a halt to construction and increasing car parking charges four-fold to encourage people to use public transportation.

The PM 2.5 airborne particles are about 30 times finer than a human hair. The particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs, causing respiratory diseases and other ailments. Hospitals in the capital have seen a spike in the number of patients coming in with respiratory complaints, according to media reports.

&ldquo;Every second we are damaging our lungs, but we cannot stop breathing,&rdquo; said Arvind Kumar, the head of the chest and lung surgery department at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital in the city.

United Airlines said it had resumed flights from Newark, New Jersey to New Delhi, India on Sunday, after suspending the service temporarily over concerns about poor air quality in the Indian capital.

State and central governments decided to reopen schools on Monday after closing them temporarily for a few days last week. The move, however, is likely to add more vehicles on the road.

Enforcement agencies said they were also unable to impose a blanket ban on movement of commercial trucks.

Aarti Menon, a teacher at a primary school in New Delhi, said her family was wearing a mask even when they were indoors during the weekend.

&ldquo;Not everyone can afford an air purifier or air-conditioned car. We are all living in hell,&rdquo; said Menon, a mother of two teenage daughters.

The National Green Tribunal, an environment court, has directed the Delhi government and neighbouring states to stop farmers from burning crop residue. But the federal and state governments have not been able to do so yet.

A New Delhi-based non-governmental organization, TARA Homes for Children, which supports 60 poor children, said it was seeking donations to buy at least five air purifiers. &ldquo;Some of the children have breathing issues and couldn&rsquo;t go to school,&rdquo; said a volunteer at the NGO.

Hospitals in the capital have seen a spike in the number of patients coming in with respiratory complaints, according to media reports

A thick cloud of toxic smog 10 times the recommended limit enveloped India’s capital New Delhi on Monday, as government officials struggled to tackle a public health crisis that is well into its second week. A U.S. embassy measure showed levels of poisonous airborne particles, known as PM 2.5, had reached 495 on Monday morning, compared with the upper limit of “good” quality air at 50. India’s weather office said forecast rain over the next three days could help clear the smog. “Light rainfall is likely in states surrounding Delhi and in Delhi over the next three days, and this could result in a change in wind pattern in the region,” Charan Singh, a scientist at India Meteorological Department, told Reuters. “Smog will start to abate starting tomorrow.” The Delhi state government declared a public health emergency last week after pollution levels in the city spiked, a yearly phenomenon blamed on a combination of illegal crop burning in northern states, vehicle exhausts, and dust. Over the weekend, the government said it planned to use fire trucks to spray water in parts of the capital, but the moves have had little effect. A senior central government official said there was little more the government could do. “We can only do this much, and now we will have to wait for rains to clean the atmosphere,” said Prashant Gargava, an official at the Central Pollution Control Board, a central body. Gargava, who is in-charge of monitoring air quality, said Delhi’s air has been consistently in the “hazardous” zone, despite measures such as a halt to construction and increasing car parking charges four-fold to encourage people to use public transportation. The PM 2.5 airborne particles are about 30 times finer than a human hair. The particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs, causing respiratory diseases and other ailments. Hospitals in the capital have seen a spike in the number of patients coming in with respiratory complaints, according to media reports. “Every second we are damaging our lungs, but we cannot stop breathing,” said Arvind Kumar, the head of the chest and lung surgery department at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital in the city. United Airlines said it had resumed flights from Newark, New Jersey to New Delhi, India on Sunday, after suspending the service temporarily over concerns about poor air quality in the Indian capital. State and central governments decided to reopen schools on Monday after closing them temporarily for a few days last week. The move, however, is likely to add more vehicles on the road. Enforcement agencies said they were also unable to impose a blanket ban on movement of commercial trucks. Aarti Menon, a teacher at a primary school in New Delhi, said her family was wearing a mask even when they were indoors during the weekend. “Not everyone can afford an air purifier or air-conditioned car. We are all living in hell,” said Menon, a mother of two teenage daughters. The National Green Tribunal, an environment court, has directed the Delhi government and neighbouring states to stop farmers from burning crop residue. But the federal and state governments have not been able to do so yet. A New Delhi-based non-governmental organization, TARA Homes for Children, which supports 60 poor children, said it was seeking donations to buy at least five air purifiers. “Some of the children have breathing issues and couldn’t go to school,” said a volunteer at the NGO.

Delhi bears the brunt of smog despite emergency measures

After several days of &#39;hazardous&#39; smog, Delhi can now heave a sigh of relief as the weather office predicts light rains, which might help clear the air in the smog-covered national capital.&nbsp;

Met office predicts light showers on Saturday evening and Sunday. &nbsp;

&quot;The sky will be generally cloudy. There is a possibility of light rain or thunderstorm in the afternoon or evening,&quot; an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. &nbsp;

Delhi has been battling a think blanket of smoke for almost a week and Delhi government has been taking several steps including the introduction of &#39;odd-even&#39; scheme which is set to commence for five days from&nbsp;the November 13. &nbsp;

According to the Met department, humidity levels in the national capital have risen to 91 per cent this morning, PTI reports said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Light showers may be expected on Saturday evening as well as on Sunday, according to reports.?

After several days of 'hazardous' smog, Delhi can now heave a sigh of relief as the weather office predicts light rains, which might help clear the air in the smog-covered national capital. Met office predicts light showers on Saturday evening and Sunday. "The sky will be generally cloudy. There is a possibility of light rain or thunderstorm in the afternoon or evening," an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Delhi has been battling a think blanket of smoke for almost a week and Delhi government has been taking several steps including the introduction of 'odd-even' scheme which is set to commence for five days from the November 13. According to the Met department, humidity levels in the national capital have risen to 91 per cent this morning, PTI reports said.

Light showers expected in Delhi, may help clear smog

Mumbai&nbsp;faced&nbsp;its worst rain crisis since 2005 on Tuesday as the city was&nbsp;lashed by nine times the usual rain.

Three hours of shower (85 mm) was equivalent to an entire day&#39;s rain, submerging most of India&#39;s financial capital by noon.

The torrential rain disrupted road, rail and flight services,&nbsp;uprooted&nbsp;trees, swamped&nbsp;homes and brought&nbsp;life in the megapolis and its satellite towns to a grinding halt.

A &#39;Red&#39; warning has been issued for the next 24 hours for the city and adjoining areas, indicating the possibility of&nbsp;very heavy rainfall, a top official of&nbsp;the&nbsp;India Meteorological Department said.&nbsp;He added that&nbsp;the city and surrounding areas would continue to receive heavy rainfall over the next 2-3 days.&nbsp;

Train services on all three suburban railway lines-- Central, Western and Harbour lines-- have been paralysed.

Suburban rail services, the lifeline of the metropolis, were thrown out of gear.&nbsp;Several trains are stuck in the station premises. Eleven&nbsp;trains have been rescheduled and seven&nbsp;trains cancelled till 7 pm today.

&nbsp;Fidgety passengers could be&nbsp;seen jumping off stationary trains and walking along the tracks to their destinations.

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down.

Commuters were seen standing under knee deep water on the steps of buses in low lying areas like Parel.

Traffic crawled at snail&#39;s pace on important roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg.

Poor visibility caused delays in flights.&nbsp;While the main runway of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Aiport (CSIA) is operational, the nearby aerodrome at Juhu has been shut as it is very close to the Arabian Sea, sources said.

Aircraft&nbsp;stopped landing at the city airport after 4 pm but were taking off, officials said.

Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport saw delay and disruptions since morning.

Till evening, the airport saw six flight cancellations, 10 go-arounds and 10 diversions, airport sources said.

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Heart broken. Had to abandon the car. Water flooding. <a href="https://twitter.com/RidlrMUM">@RidlrMUM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash">#MumbaiRains</a> ???? Tears flowed as much as the rain, as I left <a href="https://t.co/1Kb0ETsQCC">pic.twitter.com/1Kb0ETsQCC</a>
&mdash; sharon (@sharonpicardo) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharonpicardo/status/902508145083342848">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The weather office forecasts predict that the downpour could continue for as long as 48 hours.

The authorities have advised residents to stay in or go home early &quot;unless urgent&quot;.

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CM <a href="https://twitter.com/Dev_Fadnavis">@Dev_Fadnavis</a> advised citizens of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash">#Mumbai</a> to stay indoors, avoid travel unless urgent and keep watch on Police &amp; BMC advisories.
&mdash; CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) <a href="https://twitter.com/CMOMaharashtra/status/902477697791741954">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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If you are still at work, don&#39;t panic and leave. A little delay &amp; planned travel may help you better <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CheckRoutes?src=hash">#CheckRoutes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash">#MumbaiRains</a>
&mdash; Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/MumbaiPolice/status/902468953259302912">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called Maharashtra&nbsp;chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and&nbsp;assured all possible help. 
&nbsp;

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Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state.
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/902508147784376320">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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With high tide putting pressure on the worn-out drainage system,&nbsp;preventing the drainage of water into the sea,&nbsp;experts foresee that the&nbsp;situation will&nbsp;worsen.

The National Disaster Response Force has been alerted to handle the ongoing crisis.

Five flood rescue teams and two diving teams are also ready to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai, a spokesperson for the navy said.

Naval helicopters have been kept on standby to meet any eventuality and flood rescue teams and divers are also ready for deployment. 
 
Schools and colleges have been ordered shut following forecast of heavy rainfall, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said. 
&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash">#MumbaiRains</a> Five(05)Flood Rescue teams+Two(02)Diving teams ready 2render assistance at different locations across Mumbai <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD">@SpokespersonMoD</a> <a href="https://t.co/mpVwjeUdUt">pic.twitter.com/mpVwjeUdUt</a>
&mdash; SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) <a href="https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/902497694618337282">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) helpline number for emergencies is 1916.

In an official announcement,&nbsp;the Maharashtra government instructed&nbsp;offices to allow employees to leave early.

Locals have turned to social media to explain the intensity of the situation. 
 
People spread&nbsp;the word about the critically affected areas that must be avoided.

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Current scenario of LBS Marg towards Phoenix Market City from Kurla Bus. depot. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash">#MumbaiRains</a> Avoid if possible. RT to spread. <a href="https://twitter.com/RidlrMUM">@RidlrMUM</a> <a href="https://t.co/V4dYJODNUu">pic.twitter.com/V4dYJODNUu</a>
&mdash; Shreyas Deshmukh? (@shreyshtyle) <a href="https://twitter.com/shreyshtyle/status/902404871512567808">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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BMC helpline 1916. Police Helpline 100..Home is the safest.. for most. Find shelter and give shelter. 
Be_Safe_Mumbaikars 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiRains?src=hash">#MumbaiRains</a> <a href="https://t.co/44EqoL2DPZ">pic.twitter.com/44EqoL2DPZ</a>
&mdash; Armaan Shaikh (@ArmaanS_H) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArmaanS_H/status/902515734793691138">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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People have been asked to stay away from beach areas. The rain will act as a hindrance in completing the immersion ritual of Ganesha idols, the closing ceremony of the famous 10-day-long Ganesha festival.

The sea-link between western suburbs and south Mumbai has been flooded. As the major bridge gets blocked commuters will have to wait to travel to the other side of the city.&nbsp;

Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours, the head of a climate monitoring centre warned.

&quot;It is a serious situation. We have issued necessary warnings to the departments concerned, including airports,&quot; A K Srivastav, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune, told PTI.

&quot;The status of the weather system, which has brought heavy showers over the Mumbai region, has been upgraded from &#39;well marked low pressure&#39; to &#39;depression&#39;. It means it is set to bring more rains. Hence, we have predicted an extremely heavy rainfall,&quot; he said.

More than 500 deaths were caused as a result of the floods in 2005, with the major number of deaths in slums-- home to the majority of Mumbai&#39;s population.

Watch:

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Indian meteorological department predicts more rain in Mumbai in the next 48 hours. (WION)
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Three hours of the downpour equivalent to an entire day's rain, submerged most of India's financial capital by noon

Mumbai faced its worst rain crisis since 2005 on Tuesday as the city was lashed by nine times the usual rain. Three hours of shower (85 mm) was equivalent to an entire day's rain, submerging most of India's financial capital by noon. The torrential rain disrupted road, rail and flight services, uprooted trees, swamped homes and brought life in the megapolis and its satellite towns to a grinding halt. A 'Red' warning has been issued for the next 24 hours for the city and adjoining areas, indicating the possibility of very heavy rainfall, a top official of the India Meteorological Department said. He added that the city and surrounding areas would continue to receive heavy rainfall over the next 2-3 days. Train services on all three suburban railway lines-- Central, Western and Harbour lines-- have been paralysed. Suburban rail services, the lifeline of the metropolis, were thrown out of gear. Several trains are stuck in the station premises. Eleven trains have been rescheduled and seven trains cancelled till 7 pm today. Fidgety passengers could be seen jumping off stationary trains and walking along the tracks to their destinations. Thousands of vehicles were stranded on arterial roads in Lower Parel, Dadar, Kurla, Andheri, Khar West, Ghatkopar, Sion and Hindmata areas that were under knee to waist deep water for several hours, many having broken down. Commuters were seen standing under knee deep water on the steps of buses in low lying areas like Parel. Traffic crawled at snail's pace on important roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway and LBS Marg. Poor visibility caused delays in flights. While the main runway of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Aiport (CSIA) is operational, the nearby aerodrome at Juhu has been shut as it is very close to the Arabian Sea, sources said. Aircraft stopped landing at the city airport after 4 pm but were taking off, officials said. Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport saw delay and disruptions since morning. Till evening, the airport saw six flight cancellations, 10 go-arounds and 10 diversions, airport sources said. Heart broken. Had to abandon the car. Water flooding. @RidlrMUM #MumbaiRains ???? Tears flowed as much as the rain, as I left pic.twitter.com/1Kb0ETsQCC — sharon (@sharonpicardo) August 29, 2017 × The weather office forecasts predict that the downpour could continue for as long as 48 hours. The authorities have advised residents to stay in or go home early "unless urgent". CM @Dev_Fadnavis advised citizens of #Mumbai to stay indoors, avoid travel unless urgent and keep watch on Police & BMC advisories. — CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 29, 2017 × If you are still at work, don't panic and leave. A little delay & planned travel may help you better #CheckRoutes #MumbaiRains — Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 29, 2017 × Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and assured all possible help. Centre assures all possible support to the Government of Maharashtra in mitigating the situation due to heavy rains in parts of the state. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017 × With high tide putting pressure on the worn-out drainage system, preventing the drainage of water into the sea, experts foresee that the situation will worsen. The National Disaster Response Force has been alerted to handle the ongoing crisis. Five flood rescue teams and two diving teams are also ready to render assistance at different locations across Mumbai, a spokesperson for the navy said. Naval helicopters have been kept on standby to meet any eventuality and flood rescue teams and divers are also ready for deployment. Schools and colleges have been ordered shut following forecast of heavy rainfall, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said. #MumbaiRains Five(05)Flood Rescue teams+Two(02)Diving teams ready 2render assistance at different locations across Mumbai @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/mpVwjeUdUt — SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 29, 2017 × The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) helpline number for emergencies is 1916. In an official announcement, the Maharashtra government instructed offices to allow employees to leave early. Locals have turned to social media to explain the intensity of the situation. People spread the word about the critically affected areas that must be avoided. Current scenario of LBS Marg towards Phoenix Market City from Kurla Bus. depot. #MumbaiRains Avoid if possible. RT to spread. @RidlrMUM pic.twitter.com/V4dYJODNUu — Shreyas Deshmukh? (@shreyshtyle) August 29, 2017 × BMC helpline 1916. Police Helpline 100..Home is the safest.. for most. Find shelter and give shelter. Be_Safe_Mumbaikars #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/44EqoL2DPZ — Armaan Shaikh (@ArmaanS_H) August 29, 2017 × People have been asked to stay away from beach areas. The rain will act as a hindrance in completing the immersion ritual of Ganesha idols, the closing ceremony of the famous 10-day-long Ganesha festival. The sea-link between western suburbs and south Mumbai has been flooded. As the major bridge gets blocked commuters will have to wait to travel to the other side of the city. Mumbai, south Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and west Vidarbha will get extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 to 48 hours, the head of a climate monitoring centre warned. "It is a serious situation. We have issued necessary warnings to the departments concerned, including airports," A K Srivastav, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD Pune, told PTI. "The status of the weather system, which has brought heavy showers over the Mumbai region, has been upgraded from 'well marked low pressure' to 'depression'. It means it is set to bring more rains. Hence, we have predicted an extremely heavy rainfall," he said. More than 500 deaths were caused as a result of the floods in 2005, with the major number of deaths in slums-- home to the majority of Mumbai's population. Watch: Indian meteorological department predicts more rain in Mumbai in the next 48 hours. (WION) ×

Maximum City: Mumbai submerged as it battles worst rain crisis since 2005

Heavy rains lashed parts of Mumbai late last night leaving many areas waterlogged even as monsoon reached India&#39;s southern coast on Tuesday.

Khar and Andheri in Mumbai were inundated on Thursday evening after the heavy downpour.

The normal onset date for the monsoon to hit the Kerala coast, which marks its official arrival in the country, is June 1, however, it reached two days ahead of schedule on May 30. The monsoon also made inroads in India&#39;s North-East thanks to Cyclone Mora.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/monsoon-rains-arrive-in-kerala-coast-north-east-16224">Also Read:&nbsp;Monsoon rains arrive in Kerala coast, North East</a>

Torrential rain also disrupted normal life in Tripura&#39;s capital Agartala on Wednesday evening as streets remained waterlogged.

India&#39;s metrological department has predicted monsoon levels to be in the range of 96 per cent in the long-term average. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indias-monsoon-rains-seen-at-average-levels-in-2017-14643">India&#39;s weather office defines average, or normal&nbsp;rainfall as between 96 per cent</a> and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire four-month season beginning June.

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Heavy rain lashed Mumbai late last night, many areas waterlogged: Visuals from Khar and Andheri areas. <a href="https://t.co/DQT8QmRMha">pic.twitter.com/DQT8QmRMha</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/870463164164390912">June 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(WION with agency inputs)

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Here&#39;s a look at the global weather forecast for the next 24 hours, along with updates on weather activities (WION)
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Heavy rain lashed parts of Mumbai late last night leaving many areas waterlogged.

Heavy rains lashed parts of Mumbai late last night leaving many areas waterlogged even as monsoon reached India's southern coast on Tuesday. Khar and Andheri in Mumbai were inundated on Thursday evening after the heavy downpour. The normal onset date for the monsoon to hit the Kerala coast, which marks its official arrival in the country, is June 1, however, it reached two days ahead of schedule on May 30. The monsoon also made inroads in India's North-East thanks to Cyclone Mora. Also Read: Monsoon rains arrive in Kerala coast, North East Torrential rain also disrupted normal life in Tripura's capital Agartala on Wednesday evening as streets remained waterlogged. India's metrological department has predicted monsoon levels to be in the range of 96 per cent in the long-term average. India's weather office defines average, or normal rainfall as between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire four-month season beginning June. Heavy rain lashed Mumbai late last night, many areas waterlogged: Visuals from Khar and Andheri areas. pic.twitter.com/DQT8QmRMha — ANI (@ANI_news) June 2, 2017 × (WION with agency inputs) Here's a look at the global weather forecast for the next 24 hours, along with updates on weather activities (WION) ×

Heavy rains in Mumbai, Tripura

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured his support&nbsp;in the rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and&nbsp;Madhya Pradesh. &quot;I pray for the safety and wellbeing of those in areas affected by floods in parts Uttar&nbsp;Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,&quot; the Prime Minister&#39;s Office tweeted. 
 
Prime&nbsp;Minister Modi said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is closely monitoring the situation, adding the latter&nbsp;has spoken to the Chief Ministers and taken stock of the rescue and relief operations. &quot;Centre assures total&nbsp;support in the rescue and relief operations. I hope the situation in the affected areas normalises at the earliest,&quot;&nbsp;he added.In Bihar, waters from various rivers were reported to be spreading to new areas in Bhojpur, Buxar,&nbsp;Munger, Bhagalpur and Khagaria districts.The low-lying areas of Patna, Vaishali and Saran districts are also&nbsp;reportedly under water. 
 
The flood-affected people have taken shelter in schools in Patna. The movement of&nbsp;trains has been stopped between Chapra and Balia because of submerged railway tracks at many places.The&nbsp;surging water of the Rivers Sone and Punpun has spread to the low lying areas of Jahanabad and Arwal&nbsp;districts.In Uttar Pradesh, the flood situation in the eastern parts is grim. River Ganga is rising in many places,&nbsp;including Allahabad and Varanasi.The army has been kept on standby to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation&nbsp;efforts in Allahabad.Both the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers are rising continuously in the district and the people&nbsp;have been told to vacate their homes and move to safer places.Over 100 villages are facing a critical flood&nbsp;situation in the district. So far, about 10,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps. 
 
The National Disaster&nbsp;Response Force (NDRF) is also engaged in Ballai and Banda districts after receiving information on rising&nbsp;water levels.Besides Allahabad, the water of river Ganga is reportedly rising in Varanasi, Ballia and Mirzapur&nbsp;districts, while the water of the Yamuna are rising trend in Banda, Mathura and Allahabad.After the release of&nbsp;water from the dam, the Betwa River is also on spate in Hamirpur district.Water levels are rising between two&nbsp;to three centimetres per hour.In Rajasthan, incessant rains in the south eastern districts have affected normal&nbsp;life. Several over bridges have been submerged in water, bringing road traffic on these routes to a grinding 
halt. 
 
A maximum of 26 centimetres of rainfall has been recorded at the Jakham Dam in the state&#39;s Pratapgarh&nbsp;district.Places like Nimbaheda, Badi Sadri and Bhadesar have received 22 centimeters of rainfall in the last 24&nbsp;hours.The districts of Chittorgarh, Baran, Dungarpur, Banswara and Jhalawar have also experienced good&nbsp;rainfall. 
 
An alert has been sounded in nearby areas of Chambal river in Karauli following an increase in water&nbsp;levels.In Madhya Pradesh, torrential rains have lashed western parts even as relief works have gained&nbsp;momentum in Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions.Normal life has been affected in Guna, Rajgarh, Shivpuri,&nbsp;Mandsour, Ujjain and other parts of western Madhya Pradesh. 
 
(ANI)

Rescue and relief operations have begun in the flood-hit states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and?Madhya Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured his support in the rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. "I pray for the safety and wellbeing of those in areas affected by floods in parts Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. Prime Minister Modi said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is closely monitoring the situation, adding the latter has spoken to the Chief Ministers and taken stock of the rescue and relief operations. "Centre assures total support in the rescue and relief operations. I hope the situation in the affected areas normalises at the earliest," he added.In Bihar, waters from various rivers were reported to be spreading to new areas in Bhojpur, Buxar, Munger, Bhagalpur and Khagaria districts.The low-lying areas of Patna, Vaishali and Saran districts are also reportedly under water. The flood-affected people have taken shelter in schools in Patna. The movement of trains has been stopped between Chapra and Balia because of submerged railway tracks at many places.The surging water of the Rivers Sone and Punpun has spread to the low lying areas of Jahanabad and Arwal districts.In Uttar Pradesh, the flood situation in the eastern parts is grim. River Ganga is rising in many places, including Allahabad and Varanasi.The army has been kept on standby to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation efforts in Allahabad.Both the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers are rising continuously in the district and the people have been told to vacate their homes and move to safer places.Over 100 villages are facing a critical flood situation in the district. So far, about 10,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also engaged in Ballai and Banda districts after receiving information on rising water levels.Besides Allahabad, the water of river Ganga is reportedly rising in Varanasi, Ballia and Mirzapur districts, while the water of the Yamuna are rising trend in Banda, Mathura and Allahabad.After the release of water from the dam, the Betwa River is also on spate in Hamirpur district.Water levels are rising between two to three centimetres per hour.In Rajasthan, incessant rains in the south eastern districts have affected normal life. Several over bridges have been submerged in water, bringing road traffic on these routes to a grinding halt. A maximum of 26 centimetres of rainfall has been recorded at the Jakham Dam in the state's Pratapgarh district.Places like Nimbaheda, Badi Sadri and Bhadesar have received 22 centimeters of rainfall in the last 24 hours.The districts of Chittorgarh, Baran, Dungarpur, Banswara and Jhalawar have also experienced good rainfall. An alert has been sounded in nearby areas of Chambal river in Karauli following an increase in water levels.In Madhya Pradesh, torrential rains have lashed western parts even as relief works have gained momentum in Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions.Normal life has been affected in Guna, Rajgarh, Shivpuri, Mandsour, Ujjain and other parts of western Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)

Indian Prime Minister Modi assures Centre's support to flood-hit regions

China issued a &quot;yellow alert&quot; for Typhoon Nida, predicting it would hit the southern province of Guangdong on Tuesday, state-owned Xinhua news agency reported. 
 
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued the third-most severe alert on a four-colour scale, warning of strong winds and heavy rain along the coast affecting Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan provinces as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 
 
Nida will be the fourth typhoon to hit China this year with natural disasters killing 800 people since June, the worst casualties since a similar period in 2011. 
 
The storm is currently off the coast of the Philippines, and weather reports indicate it will also hit the financial centre Hong Kong. 
 
Nida is expected to pick up speed with winds forecasted to reach 38-45 meters per second by the time it makes landfall, according to the NMC. 
 
Earlier this month, Typhoon Nepartak drove at least 420,000 Chinese from their homes and caused more than 7.1 billion Yuan ($1.07 billion) in losses in Fujian province alone. 
 
(Reuters)

The National Meteorological Center issued the third-most severe alert on a four-colour scale, warning of strong winds and heavy rain

China issued a "yellow alert" for Typhoon Nida, predicting it would hit the southern province of Guangdong on Tuesday, state-owned Xinhua news agency reported. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued the third-most severe alert on a four-colour scale, warning of strong winds and heavy rain along the coast affecting Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan provinces as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Nida will be the fourth typhoon to hit China this year with natural disasters killing 800 people since June, the worst casualties since a similar period in 2011. The storm is currently off the coast of the Philippines, and weather reports indicate it will also hit the financial centre Hong Kong. Nida is expected to pick up speed with winds forecasted to reach 38-45 meters per second by the time it makes landfall, according to the NMC. Earlier this month, Typhoon Nepartak drove at least 420,000 Chinese from their homes and caused more than 7.1 billion Yuan ($1.07 billion) in losses in Fujian province alone. (Reuters)

China issues warning ahead of Typhoon Nida

Heavy rains have lashed large parts of India, bringing major metropolitan cities to a standstill.&nbsp; 
 
Vehicular movement remains affected in various parts of the southern city of Bengaluru due to heavy downpour. In the small hamlet Bilekahalli, boats are being used after torrential rain wreaked havoc. &nbsp; 
 
Arterial roads in the national capital Delhi as well as Mumbai, metropolitan city in western state of Maharashtra, also remain choked with traffic. Massive traffic jams have been reported on Western Express Highway in Andheri, a Mumbai suburb. &nbsp; 
 
 
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Indian cities Delhi, Gurugram, Uttarakhand and Bengaluru massively affected by heavy downpour. Heavy rainfall triggers traffic jams, power cuts and waterlogging in the cities. Source: ANI, Dr. Amit Kapoor, Bengaluru, twitter
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Traffic snarls in the millenium city of Gurugram draw India&#39;s attention &nbsp; 
 
Thousands of Indians were left stranded on Thursday as major traffic gridlocks paralysed roads to a key business city near Indian capital city New Delhi and authorities struggled to get the situation under control.&nbsp; 
 
Television images showed thousands of partially submerged cars stranded in miles-long jams on a key highway and link roads connecting New Delhi with the satellite town of Gurugram, formerly known as Gurgaon. 
 
Office-goers and locals were pictured wading through knee-deep water after heavy monsoon rains deluged streets late Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
Local authorities issued an order today asking people to avoid travelling to the area in northern Haryana state and shut schools for two days.&nbsp; 
 
Dubbed &quot;Millennium City&quot;, Gurgaon is home to scores of top multinational companies, expensive condominiums, a world-class golf course, top hospitals and gleaming shopping malls.&nbsp; 
 
However, like many Indian cities, it lacks an efficient drainage system making it prone to flooding.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;People coming to Gurgaon from Delhi are advised to stay back today to avoid being stuck in traffic jams due to flooding on roads,&quot; Gurgaon police posted on Twitter. &nbsp; 
 
Several commuters meanwhile took to social media to vent their anger. &quot;Gurugram! What a nightmare. 5 hours to cover 1 km. Parked car on roadside, slept in the car and now back in office,&quot; Rajesh Mehta wrote on Twitter.&nbsp; 
 
Crumbling civic infrastructure, clogged drains and uncontrolled construction in Indian cities results in widespread flooding of roads during the rainy season.&nbsp; 
 
Indian transport minister Nitin Gadkari today talked to the National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) chairman, directing him to send team of officials to National Highway-8 (NH-8) immediately.&nbsp; 
 
The tailback on Friday extended to 15-20 kilometres at central Hero Honda Chowk in Gurugram that was inundated. &nbsp;An under-construction underpass and flyover near the Chowk led to a diversion at the spot which further slowed the traffic, while the drainage system has failed&nbsp; 
 
Floods hit more than 1.2 million Indians &nbsp; 
 
The four-month-long monsoon begins in June and is vital for irrigating farmland of more than 330 million Indian farmers. &nbsp; 
 
But excess rains in many parts in east and north India have resulted in deluge, killing dozens. &nbsp; 
 
More than 1.2 million people in northeast India have been hit by floods, which have submerged hundreds of villages, inundated large swathes of farmland and damaged roads, bridges and telecommunications services, local authorities said on Tuesday.&nbsp; 
 
Incessant monsoon rains in the tea and oil-rich state of Assam have forced the burgeoning Brahmaputra river and its tributaries to burst their banks -- affecting more than half of the region&#39;s 32 districts. &nbsp; 
 
Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh will be making an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Nagaon, Morigaon and Kaziranga in Assam tomorrow.&nbsp; 
 
He will also be visiting Bhagatgaon Camp of flood-affected residents in Morigaon district.&nbsp; 
 
Singh will hold a meeting with Assam chief minister Sarbanand Sonowal and other state government officers in state capital Guwahati before returning to Delhi in the evening.&nbsp; 
 
(Agencies) &nbsp; 
 
 
 
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Massive traffic snarls have been reported from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Gurugram amid downpour

Heavy rains have lashed large parts of India, bringing major metropolitan cities to a standstill. Vehicular movement remains affected in various parts of the southern city of Bengaluru due to heavy downpour. In the small hamlet Bilekahalli, boats are being used after torrential rain wreaked havoc. Arterial roads in the national capital Delhi as well as Mumbai, metropolitan city in western state of Maharashtra, also remain choked with traffic. Massive traffic jams have been reported on Western Express Highway in Andheri, a Mumbai suburb. Indian cities Delhi, Gurugram, Uttarakhand and Bengaluru massively affected by heavy downpour. Heavy rainfall triggers traffic jams, power cuts and waterlogging in the cities. Source: ANI, Dr. Amit Kapoor, Bengaluru, twitter Traffic snarls in the millenium city of Gurugram draw India's attention Thousands of Indians were left stranded on Thursday as major traffic gridlocks paralysed roads to a key business city near Indian capital city New Delhi and authorities struggled to get the situation under control. Television images showed thousands of partially submerged cars stranded in miles-long jams on a key highway and link roads connecting New Delhi with the satellite town of Gurugram, formerly known as Gurgaon. Office-goers and locals were pictured wading through knee-deep water after heavy monsoon rains deluged streets late Thursday. Local authorities issued an order today asking people to avoid travelling to the area in northern Haryana state and shut schools for two days. Dubbed "Millennium City", Gurgaon is home to scores of top multinational companies, expensive condominiums, a world-class golf course, top hospitals and gleaming shopping malls. However, like many Indian cities, it lacks an efficient drainage system making it prone to flooding. "People coming to Gurgaon from Delhi are advised to stay back today to avoid being stuck in traffic jams due to flooding on roads," Gurgaon police posted on Twitter. Several commuters meanwhile took to social media to vent their anger. "Gurugram! What a nightmare. 5 hours to cover 1 km. Parked car on roadside, slept in the car and now back in office," Rajesh Mehta wrote on Twitter. Crumbling civic infrastructure, clogged drains and uncontrolled construction in Indian cities results in widespread flooding of roads during the rainy season. Indian transport minister Nitin Gadkari today talked to the National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) chairman, directing him to send team of officials to National Highway-8 (NH-8) immediately. The tailback on Friday extended to 15-20 kilometres at central Hero Honda Chowk in Gurugram that was inundated. An under-construction underpass and flyover near the Chowk led to a diversion at the spot which further slowed the traffic, while the drainage system has failed Floods hit more than 1.2 million Indians The four-month-long monsoon begins in June and is vital for irrigating farmland of more than 330 million Indian farmers. But excess rains in many parts in east and north India have resulted in deluge, killing dozens. More than 1.2 million people in northeast India have been hit by floods, which have submerged hundreds of villages, inundated large swathes of farmland and damaged roads, bridges and telecommunications services, local authorities said on Tuesday. Incessant monsoon rains in the tea and oil-rich state of Assam have forced the burgeoning Brahmaputra river and its tributaries to burst their banks -- affecting more than half of the region's 32 districts. Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh will be making an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Nagaon, Morigaon and Kaziranga in Assam tomorrow. He will also be visiting Bhagatgaon Camp of flood-affected residents in Morigaon district. Singh will hold a meeting with Assam chief minister Sarbanand Sonowal and other state government officers in state capital Guwahati before returning to Delhi in the evening. (Agencies)

Torrential rain paralyses metropolitan Indian cities

Eleven people have died in flooding in Niger and 30,000 have been rendered homeless after vast swathes of the country, &nbsp;including arid desert locations, were deluged with heavy rain, the United Nations (UN) said today. 
 
The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west, where seven people died and 5,321 people were left homeless, and Agadez in the north where three people were killed and 18,448 lost their homes, according to the UN`s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 
 
In the two areas, the freak weather claimed the lives of 19,536 cows, goats, sheep and camels while also devastating hundreds of acres of land, according to local authorities.&nbsp; 
 
Images broadcast by public television showed roads cut off by streams and land littered with rotting animal corpses. 
 
In the Agadez region, annual rainfall seldom exceeds 130 millimetres and floods like those seen in recent days are rare.&nbsp; 
 
But since June, as much as 115 millimetres has regularly been falling in a matter of hours, according to weather reports. 
 
Nigerien authorities and the UN have been distributing food aid to help families displaced by the flooding.&nbsp; 
 
Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought. 
 
The rains are unlikely to ease the pressure on the country&#39;s food supply, &nbsp;given the damage flooding caused by climate change has wrought on crops.&nbsp; 
 
In early June, &nbsp;the UN warned that flooding could affect 100,000 people in the poor desert country by the end of the year. 
 
In 2015 as many as 103,000 people were left homeless by floods that claimed the lives of tens of victims. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west and Agadez in the north

Eleven people have died in flooding in Niger and 30,000 have been rendered homeless after vast swathes of the country, including arid desert locations, were deluged with heavy rain, the United Nations (UN) said today. The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west, where seven people died and 5,321 people were left homeless, and Agadez in the north where three people were killed and 18,448 lost their homes, according to the UN`s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In the two areas, the freak weather claimed the lives of 19,536 cows, goats, sheep and camels while also devastating hundreds of acres of land, according to local authorities. Images broadcast by public television showed roads cut off by streams and land littered with rotting animal corpses. In the Agadez region, annual rainfall seldom exceeds 130 millimetres and floods like those seen in recent days are rare. But since June, as much as 115 millimetres has regularly been falling in a matter of hours, according to weather reports. Nigerien authorities and the UN have been distributing food aid to help families displaced by the flooding. Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought. The rains are unlikely to ease the pressure on the country's food supply, given the damage flooding caused by climate change has wrought on crops. In early June, the UN warned that flooding could affect 100,000 people in the poor desert country by the end of the year. In 2015 as many as 103,000 people were left homeless by floods that claimed the lives of tens of victims. (AFP)

Niger floods kill 11, 30,000 rendered homeless

Heavy rains lashed parts of India&#39;s northern state of Uttarakhand on Saturday, throwing normal life out of gear. 
 
The meteorological department has issued an alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the state in the next 24 hours. 
 
Several areas in Srinagar district were flooded after the Alaknanda river breached its embankments, submerging shops and houses. 
 
Vehicular traffic also remained disrupted due to recurring landslides on the Rishikesh- Badrinath National Highway, cutting link to Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, in Uttarakhand. 
 
&quot;If I talk about the national highway, it is also lying in the danger zone. Water is flowing downside from across the national highway. There are chances of landslides too. I think if it continues to rain like this for one or two days, it may severely damage the National Highway,&quot; said a local. 
 
People in Farsu village of the district vacated their houses and took shelter in an ancient temple to escape nature&#39;s wrath. 
 
&quot;All houses, shops and ancient temple everything are submerged in water. Government and administration are here from last two days,&quot; said another villager. 
 
Several rivers in India&#39;s northern Uttarakhand state are in a spate following heavy rainfall in the last few days. In the holy city of Haridwar, water levels in the river Ganges also rose alarmingly. 
 
Rains triggered cloudbursts in various parts of the state earlier this month, claiming lives of 35 people. 
 
Uttarakhand suffered heavy losses after flash floods due to cloudburst in June 2013 that left over 5,000 dead or missing. 
 
Monsoon season is critical for the country&#39;s 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation. 
 
But it also causes devastating landslides, floods and water-borne diseases, as civic administrations often fail to cope with challenges posed by it. 
 
(Reuters)

Several areas in Srinagar district are flooded after the Alaknanda river breached its embankments, submerging shops and houses

Heavy rains lashed parts of India's northern state of Uttarakhand on Saturday, throwing normal life out of gear. The meteorological department has issued an alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the state in the next 24 hours. Several areas in Srinagar district were flooded after the Alaknanda river breached its embankments, submerging shops and houses. Vehicular traffic also remained disrupted due to recurring landslides on the Rishikesh- Badrinath National Highway, cutting link to Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, in Uttarakhand. "If I talk about the national highway, it is also lying in the danger zone. Water is flowing downside from across the national highway. There are chances of landslides too. I think if it continues to rain like this for one or two days, it may severely damage the National Highway," said a local. People in Farsu village of the district vacated their houses and took shelter in an ancient temple to escape nature's wrath. "All houses, shops and ancient temple everything are submerged in water. Government and administration are here from last two days," said another villager. Several rivers in India's northern Uttarakhand state are in a spate following heavy rainfall in the last few days. In the holy city of Haridwar, water levels in the river Ganges also rose alarmingly. Rains triggered cloudbursts in various parts of the state earlier this month, claiming lives of 35 people. Uttarakhand suffered heavy losses after flash floods due to cloudburst in June 2013 that left over 5,000 dead or missing. Monsoon season is critical for the country's 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation. But it also causes devastating landslides, floods and water-borne diseases, as civic administrations often fail to cope with challenges posed by it. (Reuters)

Uttarakhand on alert after heavy rainfall

China has allocated 199 million Yuan ($29.76 million) to spend on its weather modification programme as part of efforts to combat drought and reduce the impact of natural disasters, the finance ministry said today, as state media reported flooding this year caused at least 237 deaths. 
 
The Ministry of Finance said the additional funding had been made available in order to help China&#39;s regions respond to the large number of &quot;extreme weather events&quot; this year, including heavy flooding in south and central regions as well as drought in the northwest. 
 
China currently uses weather modification technology including cloud seeding to induce rain during droughts, to reduce hail, and to clear the skies ahead of prestigious international events, including the Beijing Olympics in 2008. 
 
China aims to use weather modification technologies to create more than 60 billion cubic metres of additional rain a year by 2020, it said in a document published at the beginning of last year.&nbsp;Armed police demolished a dyke in central China&#39;s Hubei province today in a bid to disperse floodwater following days of torrential rain, state news agency Xinhua said. 
 
As of July 13, 237 people had been killed by floods with 93 others still missing, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said today. 
 
&quot;At present the flood situation remains extremely grim,&quot; CCTV said in a microblog post. 
 
(Reuters)

China aims to use weather modification technologies to create more than 60 billion cubic metres of additional rain a year by 2020

China has allocated 199 million Yuan ($29.76 million) to spend on its weather modification programme as part of efforts to combat drought and reduce the impact of natural disasters, the finance ministry said today, as state media reported flooding this year caused at least 237 deaths. The Ministry of Finance said the additional funding had been made available in order to help China's regions respond to the large number of "extreme weather events" this year, including heavy flooding in south and central regions as well as drought in the northwest. China currently uses weather modification technology including cloud seeding to induce rain during droughts, to reduce hail, and to clear the skies ahead of prestigious international events, including the Beijing Olympics in 2008. China aims to use weather modification technologies to create more than 60 billion cubic metres of additional rain a year by 2020, it said in a document published at the beginning of last year. Armed police demolished a dyke in central China's Hubei province today in a bid to disperse floodwater following days of torrential rain, state news agency Xinhua said. As of July 13, 237 people had been killed by floods with 93 others still missing, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said today. "At present the flood situation remains extremely grim," CCTV said in a microblog post. (Reuters)

China sets aside $30 million for weather modification programme

At least 23 have been killed and seven others injured after torrential rains triggered a massive landslide in southwest China&#39;s Guizhou Province, officials said today. 
 
The landslide swept away several houses in Pianpo village of Dafang County following heavy rains on Friday, the officials said. 
 
Thirty were trapped in the landslide. All missing and dead people have been found, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. 
 
More than 800 soldiers and rescuers worked with excavators to search for the missing villagers. 
 
The rescue work has been completed and reconstruction has started, the report said. 
 
The landslide involved more than 95,000 cubic meters of debris and covered an area of 19,000 square metres. 
 
Nationwide, 133 counties in 11 provincial-level regions, including the provinces of Hubei, Jiangsu and Zhejiang have reported floods, landslides or mud flows. 
 
Some 120,000 people have been displaced and 40,000 are in need of aid. 
 
(PTI )

Torrential rains triggered a massive landslide in southwest China's Guizhou Province. Thirty were trapped in the landslide.

At least 23 have been killed and seven others injured after torrential rains triggered a massive landslide in southwest China's Guizhou Province, officials said today. The landslide swept away several houses in Pianpo village of Dafang County following heavy rains on Friday, the officials said. Thirty were trapped in the landslide. All missing and dead people have been found, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. More than 800 soldiers and rescuers worked with excavators to search for the missing villagers. The rescue work has been completed and reconstruction has started, the report said. The landslide involved more than 95,000 cubic meters of debris and covered an area of 19,000 square metres. Nationwide, 133 counties in 11 provincial-level regions, including the provinces of Hubei, Jiangsu and Zhejiang have reported floods, landslides or mud flows. Some 120,000 people have been displaced and 40,000 are in need of aid. (PTI )

23 killed, 7 injured in landslide in China

Flash floods caused by torrential rains have killed at least 33 in northern Pakistan, including 31 from a village near the border with Afghanistan, officials said today. 
 
The rains began late Saturday and were concentrated mainly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakthunkwa, which has been badly affected by flooding in recent years that some scientists have linked to climate change. 
 
The worst hit district was Chitral, on the country&#39;s northwest border, where flood waters swept away a mosque, several houses and army post in the remote village of Ursoon, district mayor Maghfirat Shah told AFP. 
 
Osama Waraich, another senior local official, added that eight bodies of the missing villagers had been found from the Afghan side and six soldiers were still missing. 
 
Separately, two Chinese engineers were killed and five Pakistani workers injured when the roof of a construction site collapsed at Tarbela 
Dam owing to the rains that began late Saturday, Latifur Rehman, spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said. 
Rescue and relief operations were underway, he added. 
 
In April rains and landslides killed 127 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan region and Pakistani Kashmir. 
 
Poorly built homes across Pakistan, particularly in rural areas, are susceptible to collapse during the annual spring and monsoon rains in July-August, which are often heavy. 
 
Severe weather in recent years has killed hundreds and destroyed huge tracts of prime farmland. 
 
During the rainy season last summer, torrential downpours and flooding killed 81 people and affected almost 300,000 people across the country. 
 
The worst flooding in recent times occurred in 2010, which covered almost a fifth of the country&#39;s total land mass, killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced 20 million. 
 
(AFP)

The worst hit was Chitral along Pakistan's northwest border where flood waters swept away 31, a mosque, several houses and an army post.

Flash floods caused by torrential rains have killed at least 33 in northern Pakistan, including 31 from a village near the border with Afghanistan, officials said today. The rains began late Saturday and were concentrated mainly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakthunkwa, which has been badly affected by flooding in recent years that some scientists have linked to climate change. The worst hit district was Chitral, on the country's northwest border, where flood waters swept away a mosque, several houses and army post in the remote village of Ursoon, district mayor Maghfirat Shah told AFP. Osama Waraich, another senior local official, added that eight bodies of the missing villagers had been found from the Afghan side and six soldiers were still missing. Separately, two Chinese engineers were killed and five Pakistani workers injured when the roof of a construction site collapsed at Tarbela Dam owing to the rains that began late Saturday, Latifur Rehman, spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said. Rescue and relief operations were underway, he added. In April rains and landslides killed 127 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan region and Pakistani Kashmir. Poorly built homes across Pakistan, particularly in rural areas, are susceptible to collapse during the annual spring and monsoon rains in July-August, which are often heavy. Severe weather in recent years has killed hundreds and destroyed huge tracts of prime farmland. During the rainy season last summer, torrential downpours and flooding killed 81 people and affected almost 300,000 people across the country. The worst flooding in recent times occurred in 2010, which covered almost a fifth of the country's total land mass, killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced 20 million. (AFP)

33 killed in flash floods in northern Pakistan

Rescue operations were underway in India&#39;s northern&nbsp;Uttarakhand&nbsp;state today as many people were feared trapped under debris after heavy rainfall caused havoc.
According to reports, Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst, causing severe problems to the people.

Large tracts of agriculture fields have been destroyed in Suva village of the Dharchula area and three bridges linking the village have been washed away.

The Chief Minister of&nbsp;Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, said that official teams had been dispatched to carry out search and rescue operations to find those missing.

Rawat also told reporters there were reports of further bad weather from other regions in India.

&quot;We have reports of disaster from Chamoli district too. There is heavy rainfall in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi and some other areas as well,&quot; said Rawat.

Rawat announced a compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,968) would be given to the relatives of the deceased.

Over 54 millimetres of rain was recorded here in the last 24-hours. The Thal-Munsyari road has been cut-off and dozens of vehicles remained stranded on both sides.

The Yamunotri highway, near Kharadi, has also been damaged leading to traffic being halted.

Entry of heavy vehicles was halted on the Kedarnath highway after a landslide at Gangolgaon.

All major rivers in the hilly tracts have swollen. 
 
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain at isolated places especially in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand.

The weather department has also issued a warning alert of heavy to very heavy rain at few places in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Almora, Pauri, Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri districts during the next 72 hours starting from today.

Keeping in view of the alert, all District Administrations have been asked to take precautionary measures.

Director of the state Meteorological&nbsp;Department Vikram Singh has said that a low pressure line between the Bay of Bengal and Punjab is triggering the rains, and the western disturbance is also moving and it will approach Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir in the next two to three days. 
 
(With inputs from Agencies and Zee News)

Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst as rains destroy bridges and agricultural fields

Rescue operations were underway in India's northern Uttarakhand state today as many people were feared trapped under debris after heavy rainfall caused havoc. According to reports, Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst, causing severe problems to the people. Large tracts of agriculture fields have been destroyed in Suva village of the Dharchula area and three bridges linking the village have been washed away. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, said that official teams had been dispatched to carry out search and rescue operations to find those missing. Rawat also told reporters there were reports of further bad weather from other regions in India. "We have reports of disaster from Chamoli district too. There is heavy rainfall in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi and some other areas as well," said Rawat. Rawat announced a compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,968) would be given to the relatives of the deceased. Over 54 millimetres of rain was recorded here in the last 24-hours. The Thal-Munsyari road has been cut-off and dozens of vehicles remained stranded on both sides. The Yamunotri highway, near Kharadi, has also been damaged leading to traffic being halted. Entry of heavy vehicles was halted on the Kedarnath highway after a landslide at Gangolgaon. All major rivers in the hilly tracts have swollen. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain at isolated places especially in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand. The weather department has also issued a warning alert of heavy to very heavy rain at few places in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Almora, Pauri, Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri districts during the next 72 hours starting from today. Keeping in view of the alert, all District Administrations have been asked to take precautionary measures. Director of the state Meteorological Department Vikram Singh has said that a low pressure line between the Bay of Bengal and Punjab is triggering the rains, and the western disturbance is also moving and it will approach Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir in the next two to three days. (With inputs from Agencies and Zee News)

Rescue operations underway in northern India as more than 30 believed dead in flash floods

Flash floods and landslides killed 24 in Indonesia&#39;s Central Java province, officials said today, forcing residents to evacuate to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes. 
 
Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the region, among the most densely populated parts of the country, saw heavy rainfall overnight. 
 
&quot;Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java,&quot; Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Rescue teams from the military, police, NGOs and volunteers, are contributing to the handling of the emergency and the search continues for those still missing,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)

Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the densely populated region saw heavy rainfall overnight

Flash floods and landslides killed 24 in Indonesia's Central Java province, officials said today, forcing residents to evacuate to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes. Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the region, among the most densely populated parts of the country, saw heavy rainfall overnight. "Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java," Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement. "Rescue teams from the military, police, NGOs and volunteers, are contributing to the handling of the emergency and the search continues for those still missing," he added. (Reuters)

24 killed in flash floods, homes damaged in Indonesia

Fans of renowned artist Christo faced disappointment for a second day today after his latest work in northern Italy was partly closed by rain. 
 
His ambitious three kilometre-long (1.9 miles) walkway of 200,000 floating cubes covered in orange fabric floating atop Lake Iseo was evacuated Saturday evening after wind and rain made it unstable. 
 
&quot;Given the influx of people and potentially bad weather, it is advisable to rethink your trip,&quot; said a manager at the installation in a statement. 
 
Local authorities have also cancelled train services to the lake to limit the numbers able to reach the project. 
 
After being closed throughout Saturday night, the project only partly reopened Sunday morning with one of the two walkways still closed to the public. 
 
Crowds of visitors hoping to visit Christo&#39;s &quot;The Floating Piers&quot; have been gathering around the lake since it opened on Saturday, with organisers hoping that 500,000 people will experience it by July 3 when the pontoons close to the public. 
 
But the walkways can only hold 11,000 people at any one time and only if weather conditions allow. 
 
More than 55,000 visitors attempted to cross the walkways on Saturday, forcing organisers who had anticipated just 40,000 to ask that they return another day. 
 
And by the early evening the bridges had been forced to close by heavy winds and driving rain. 
 
Christo first conceived the project in 1970 for the River Plate delta in Argentina but was thwarted after failing to secure the necessary permits. 
 
Despite the long delay in realising his vision Christo said on Thursday that the project, his first since 2005, &quot;stayed in our hearts&quot;. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Crowds of visitors hoping to visit Christo's "The Floating Piers" have been gathering around the lake since it opened on Saturday

Fans of renowned artist Christo faced disappointment for a second day today after his latest work in northern Italy was partly closed by rain. His ambitious three kilometre-long (1.9 miles) walkway of 200,000 floating cubes covered in orange fabric floating atop Lake Iseo was evacuated Saturday evening after wind and rain made it unstable. "Given the influx of people and potentially bad weather, it is advisable to rethink your trip," said a manager at the installation in a statement. Local authorities have also cancelled train services to the lake to limit the numbers able to reach the project. After being closed throughout Saturday night, the project only partly reopened Sunday morning with one of the two walkways still closed to the public. Crowds of visitors hoping to visit Christo's "The Floating Piers" have been gathering around the lake since it opened on Saturday, with organisers hoping that 500,000 people will experience it by July 3 when the pontoons close to the public. But the walkways can only hold 11,000 people at any one time and only if weather conditions allow. More than 55,000 visitors attempted to cross the walkways on Saturday, forcing organisers who had anticipated just 40,000 to ask that they return another day. And by the early evening the bridges had been forced to close by heavy winds and driving rain. Christo first conceived the project in 1970 for the River Plate delta in Argentina but was thwarted after failing to secure the necessary permits. Despite the long delay in realising his vision Christo said on Thursday that the project, his first since 2005, "stayed in our hearts". (AFP)

Christo fans told rain may prevent walking on water

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