India’s severe monsoon season causes more than 100 deaths since July

monsoon downpours cause floods and landslides as climate change and El Nino disrupt rainfall patterns.Floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains have killed more than 100 people across India since July, according to official data, with thousands forced to flee flooded homes.The annual monsoon brings rain that farmers depend on, but scientists say climate change is making it increasingly deadly across South Asia.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Deadly floods and landslide hit India’s Keralalist 2 of 3People flee as rain triggers landslide in India’s Keralalist 3 of 3Death toll rises to 87 in India’s flood-stricken Assamend of listThis year’s toll spans several states. Assam has been hit hardest, with at least 87 dead, and Sivasagar district alone accounting for 47.Kerala has recorded at least 15 deaths and seven missing after days of heavy rain, Chief Minister VD Satheesan said, with more than 10,000 people sheltering in more than 300 relief camps in the state.A report by the public state broadcaster said that Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir has seen at least 31 killed by intense rain bursts.Lightning strikes have killed at least 14 people in Jharkhand, most of them farm workers caught in open fields. Jharkhand saw more than 200 deaths in 2025, mainly attributed to “lightning associated with thunderstorms”, the India-meteorological-department" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="159557" data-entity-type="organization">India Meteorological Department said in January.People wade through a flood-affected area with their belongings in Sivasagar, Assam, India, on July 23, 2026 [Hafiz Ahmed/Reuters]monsoon-related deaths are an annual occurrence across India after the region’s long summers when many parts of the country face water scarcity and drought.The pattern extends beyond India’s borders. In Sri Lanka, at least eight deaths and 12,000 displaced from monsoon flooding have been recorded. This happened while the country’s eastern regions were in the grip of a severe drought, with authorities having to transport drinking water for residents in tanker trucks.