monsoon

India is burning through coal reserves to keep electricity flowing as weak monsoon rains reduce hydropower and fading solar output hits evening supply. Night-time shortfalls reached 7.7 gigawatts this month, worse than during the summer heat wave, while grid coal inventories have more than halved from a year ago to their lowest level in nearly three years.

At least 62 people have died in northern India after days of heavy rain triggered severe flooding. Monsoon flooding affects the region every year, and officials are working to rescue stranded residents and assess damage. Reports note the rising death toll as emergency response efforts continue across affected states.

At least 14 people have been killed and 11 remain missing after fresh floods and landslides struck Nepal. Rescue teams are searching for the missing as monsoon-season disasters continue to batter the country's hill districts, with authorities warning of further rain and difficult conditions hampering relief efforts.

Indian news coverage is warning that the El Nino effect could bring catastrophic, 'doomsday'-scale weather changes to India, affecting monsoon patterns, agriculture and temperatures. Reports in Hindi frame the phenomenon as a potential disaster for the country, with audiences engaging heavily with the coverage as concerns rise over climate change impacts on the subcontinent.