Mahoba in Bundelkhand recorded Uttar Pradesh’s highest rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Thursday, receiving 131.6 mm, as showers continued across several parts of the state after a delayed and subdued monsoon onset, possibly linked to a strong El Niño effect.
According to data from the Regional Meteorological Centre, Lucknow, Mahoba received over 12 times its normal daily rainfall of 10.7 mm. The latest spell has taken the district’s cumulative rainfall since June 1 to 730.4 mm, 56% above its normal 469.4 mm.
Gonda recorded the second-highest rainfall at 54.5 mm, over eight times its normal daily average of 6.6 mm. However, its cumulative rainfall remained 11% below normal at 593.2 mm, against the seasonal average of 670.2 mm.
Jhansi and Badaun shared third place, with each recording 46.8 mm of rain in the 24-hour period.
Despite the recent showers, Jhansi continues to grapple with a rainfall deficit. The district has received 443.9 mm of rain since June 1, around 20% below its normal seasonal average of 554 mm.
Intermittent rain has continued across Jhansi since Tuesday night, ranging from light drizzle to intense showers. The spell has brought some relief to the region’s water bodies, with several dams gaining water after remaining below normal levels.
{{/usCountry}}Intermittent rain has continued across Jhansi since Tuesday night, ranging from light drizzle to intense showers. The spell has brought some relief to the region’s water bodies, with several dams gaining water after remaining below normal levels.
{{/usCountry}}But the rain has also exposed the city’s drainage woes, with several localities inundated after clogged drains and encroachments restricting the flow of rainwater. Water entered homes in several areas, with the old walled city among the worst affected.
With roads submerged in several areas, commuters were forced to wade through knee-deep water, while schools were closed amid widespread waterlogging. Similar problems were reported from rural areas of Jhansi district, where rainwater entered residential houses.
In Gonda, the latest spell of rain has pushed cumulative precipitation to around 7% above normal, although the seasonal figures cited by officials still indicate a deficit against the district’s cumulative normal rainfall.
Army rescues four fishermen stranded on swollen river island in Jhansi
The incident occurred in Mauranipur, around 80 km from Jhansi district headquarters.
The four local fishermen, three in their thirties and one elderly man, had gone fishing and were sitting on a small island in the Sukhnai, a tributary of the Dhasan river, when a sudden rise in the water level and strong currents left them stranded.
Unable to return to the bank, the fishermen raised an alarm and sought help from passersby, clinging to nearby bushes as they awaited rescue.
Police, fire personnel and administrative officials reached the spot but struggled to find a safe route through the swollen river. Sub-divisional magistrate Manoj Bharti, supervising the operation, subsequently sought the Army’s assistance.
Army personnel arrived later in the day and conducted a drone survey to assess the river’s flow and identify a safe route. “After the drone survey, the Army personnel identified a safe passage and began the rescue operation,” Bharti said.
After nearly seven hours of rescue efforts, all four fishermen were safely brought ashore by evening.