India faces heavy rains and flood alerts as Cyclone Shakti forms

Heavy rain and thunderstorms over the past week have struck large swaths of India, prompting weather warnings, travel disruptions and at least one reported death as the India Meteorological Department said multiple low pressure systems and a developing cyclone steered moist air across the country. The worst-affected areas include the national capital region, coastal and south Bengal districts, parts of Odisha and Jharkhand, and coastal Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, with authorities issuing colour-coded alerts and advising fishermen and residents in low-lying areas to exercise caution.

The IMD upgraded Delhi to an orange alert on September 30 as a well-marked low pressure over the Gulf of Kutch and associated troughs drew moisture from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Heavy showers that day flooded underpasses, left key roads waterlogged and triggered traffic gridlock on major arteries including NH48, Outer Ring Road and Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, officials and commuter reports said. The floods prompted traffic diversions around the Zakhira underpass and other chokepoints, and several airlines issued travel advisories because of delays and cancellations. The rainfall...