A look at the news in the month of September 2011, indicates that the month has experienced a range of events such as heavy floods in different parts of the country with Orissa being the worst affected state, a major earthquake in the North East with Sikkim being the most affected, reports of flash floods and landslides in various parts of the country as well as  reports of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country with indications that the rainfall may further subside in the coming week.

Severe floods in Orissa, Bihar and North East

Orissa

The state most affected by floods has been Orissa, which has experienced the worst floods since the last 30 years. Heavy rains leading to release of water from the dams and flooding of major rivers such as the Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Brahmani, Budhabalang, Mahanadi have led to submergence of a large number of villages, loss of lives and destruction, making it extremely difficult for relief workers to reach the marooned villages. Floods sparked by two spells of heavy monsoon rains, has disrupted lives of more than two million people after submerging over 3,000 villages in the state.

The Status Report on the Orissa State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) site highlights the current impact of the floods in the different districts of Orissa.

The initial news highlights the first spell of floods in the state and the release of water from the Hirakud dam affecting 30 districts in the state followed by attempts at providing relief by the government.

This is followed by news on the second fresh round of floods in the northern parts of the state in the coming week and flooding of all the major rivers leading to submergence, marooning of a large number of villages, death and destruction followed by news on efforts being gradually made to provide relief to the areas affected with a slight reduction in intensity of flooding.

• Three major rivers in spate in Orissa:  Third flood of the season looks imminent
• Floods triggered by heavy rains and release of huge water from Hirakud dam have affected 19 of the state's 30 districts in Orissa: The death toll rises to 26
• 19 districts of Orissa flood hit: Mahanadi river flowing in full spate, 60,000 people evacuated to safe places
• Heavy rains and the release of huge quantities of water from Hirakud reservoir wreck havoc in about 4,000 villages in more than half of Orissa's 30 districts
• Situation in Mahanadi Delta in Orissa continues to play havoc: Around 20 lakh people impacted by floods, leaves 19 dead
• Flood-related incidents, bring the death toll to 32 in Orissa
• Water level recedes in flood affected parts of Orissa: Rescue and relief increases
• Around 500 people set up temporary sheds on either sides of highway in Orissa following the ravage of floodwaters in their villages
• Low pressure induced heavy rains hamper relief work in flood affected areas of Orissa, the worst hit being coastal Orissa: More rain adds to the woes of the people still sheltered on river embankments
• Fresh spell of floods in river Baitarani in Orissa inundates 12 Gram Panchayats in Bhadrak and Keonjhar districts of the state: Death toll rises to 32
• Fresh floods hits North Orissa, villages marooned:  Major rivers Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Brahmani,Budhabalang and several rivulets in northern districts in spate due to depression induced downpour
• Fresh round of floods hit Orissa: Nearly 900 villages marooned 
• Second spell of flood hits Orissa within a fortnight: More than 2.1 million people affected in this worst flood in the state since three decades
• Flood condition in Orissa worsens: Four major rivers submerge 600 villages in the state
• Brahmani and Baitarani rivers rising in Orissa: Wrecks havoc leaving lakhs of villages marooned
• Flood in rivers Brahmani and Baitarani affects more than 20 lakh people in 10 districts of Orissa: 17 people lose lives in various flood related incidents
• Brahmani, Kharasrota river flowing above danger marks in Jajpur in Orissa: Lakhs of people affected by flood in the state
• Flood situation in Northern Orissa worsens further: More than 3000 villages inundated, 10 lakh people encircled by water
• Flood water continues to submerge Baruan-Bari, Bari-Ratnagiri and Brahmabarada-Bari roads in Bari block of Jaipur in Orissa: Relief and rescue operations in 98 villages and 29 Gram Panchayats blocked
• Flood situation continues to be critical in Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts of Orissa: Death toll rises to 38 
• Orissa hit by worst floods in 30 years: Flooding, sparked by two spells of heavy monsoon rains, has disrupted the lives of more than two million people after submerging over 3,000 villages in the impoverished coastal state
• Around 3 lakh people affected due to floods in Orissa: State government announces seven days emergency relief in affected areas
• Central Government deploys National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to flood hit districts of Orissa
• With flood situation in four North Orissa districts remaining grim, the State Government on Saturday starts air-dropping of food packets as 992 villages continued to be marooned for the second consecutive day
• Flood water in rivers starts receding: 194 village still remain marooned in Orissa
• With water receding in all rivers, Orissa government steps up post- relief operation to restore normalcy in flood-affected areas
• Though the water level has started receding in flood-affected districts in Orissa, the slow pace of discharge into the sea combined with inadequate food materials, paucity of potable water and lack of medicines continue to compound the woes of the over 23 lakh victims

Bihar

The two other states extensively being affected by floods are Bihar, where the flooding of major rivers has led to marooning of villages with people fleeing their homes in search of shelter followed by news that the situation shows some hopes of gradually easing though the rivers still have not completely receded.

• At least 40 people killed and 1.86 million affected by floods in Bihar:  Major rivers in spate crossing the danger mark at several places in the state
• The flood situation in Bihar remains grim with the Lakhandei river breaching its embankment at three places and marooning thousands even as the overall situation shows signs of improvement with major rivers receding
• Floods affect 15 lakh people in Bihar: Thousands forced to flee their homes and take shelter on highrise embankments, national highways, railway lines and in schools and other buildings
• Flood situation worsens in Bihar with major rivers maintaining their rising trend
• Flood situation improves in Bihar: Water level of Ganga receding though the river had crossed the danger mark at some points
• The toll in the Bihar floods rises to 96 even as the overall situation improves with the major rivers maintaining a receding trend

North East

Similarly, news from the north east also indicates extensive flooding of Brahmaputra and Simen rivers followed by fresh floods due to the Gai and Jiadhol rivers leading to extensive displacement of families and efforts made at rescue of the people.

• Brahmaputra and Simen rivers wreck havoc in Jonai in Assam: Around 1,000 people displaced in August and 17 families affected in September
• Fresh floodwater of Gai and Jiadhol rivers in Dheemaji district of Assam breaches National Highway 52: NDRF and volunteers deployed to rescue marooned people
• Fresh wave of floods hits Dhemaji district in Assam affecting nearly 20,000 people: Gainadi and Jiadhol rivers overflow their banks

Flood alerts sounded in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Kashmir, Gujarat and Punjab, Uttar Pradesh

There have also been reports of increase in the risk of floods in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Kashmir, Gujarat, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh

• Rivers in spate despite dry spell in Uttar Pradesh: No improvement in flood situation due to rains in Himalayan region
• 7,000 people from 20 villages displaced after river Ganga breached the danger mark in Uttar Pradesh
• Water levels of Ganga and Yamuna increasing following release of water: Residents affected shifted to safer places

West Bengal and Jharkhand

• West Bengal government sounds alert in East and West Midnapore districts, people in low lying areas evacuated following massive water flow from different dams
• Subernarekha and Kharkai flows above the danger mark in Jharkand: Floodwater enters Tata Steel Zoological Park, animals shifted to veterinary hospital of the zoo
• Flood alert sounded in several districts of Jharkhand: This is following incessant rains and water released from dams into rivers
• Incessant rains lash Jharkhand, water level in some rivers increases: This leads to flooding in 12 districts lying in basins of Sone and Ganga rivers in the state

Punjab and Kashmir

• Kashmir Disaster Management Cell sounds flood alert in the Valley, three washed away in flashfloods: This is following River Jhelum crossing the danger mark
• Water level in river Jehlum and its tributaries still above danger mark in Kashmir Valley: There is no report of loss of life in the floods
• Flood situation in Kashmir valley improves: Water level in river Jhelum and its tributaries recedes
• Water levels in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs crosses maximum capacity mark: Flood alert sounded in downstream districts of Punjab
• Flooding from river Sutlej in Fazilka villages in Punjab renders many homeless and destroys standing crops:  Locals are battling onslaught of diseases

Gujarat

• Heavy rainfall leads to increase in water levels in Dharoi dam, Gujarat: Villages along the downstream of Sabarmati river in Gujarat heave sigh of relief as the inflow comes down to 11,000 cusec
• Water level in Dharoi dam touches 189 meter against its capacity of 189.56 meters: Flood alert sounded in Dholka Taluka and villages of Kheda district in Gujarat

Flash-floods in Kashmir and Jharkhand

• Alert sounded in Kashmir valley following flash floods
• Flash floods submerge low-lying areas following incessant rains in Jharkhand: Communication with Orissa and Chhattisgarh snapped

Earthquake followed by heavy rains, flash-floods and landslides in Sikkim

This month has also witnessed a 6.9 richter scale earthquake that hit the states of West Bengal and the North East, with Sikkim being the worst affected. The earthquake has left behind a trail of death and destruction and has been followed by heavy rains and landslides making the rescue operations extremely difficult.

• A 6.9-magnitude earthquake epicentred 68km northwest of Gangtok sends people rushing out of buildings from Calcutta to Delhi: Sikkim worst hit, full extent of the damage not yet known
• Earthquake toll rises to 72, one lakh houses damaged in worst-hit Sikkim
• West Bengal and northeastern states including the worst hit Sikkim limping back to normalcy, following the earthquake measuring 6.8 on the richter scale, but heavy rains and landslides in some rugged areas affect rescue operations
• At least 23 people dead and over hundred injured in Sikkim after a powerful earthquake leaves a trail of devastation in the Himalayan state, making relief work difficult due to landslides and road blockages
• Four days after a powerful earthquake hit the state, leaving behind a trail of deaths and devastation, Sikkim again experiences minor tremors of 3.9 magnitude
• Army resumes relief work, weather improves in Sikkim
• Flash floods strike Sikkim just a few days following a massive earthquake in the state: As many as 100 people stranded due to flash floods
• Major landslide in North Sikkim occurs following the massive earthquake that hit Sikkim this week: The area cut off from rest of the country
• Sikkim earthquake toll reaches 60 with fears of higher casualties: Fresh landslides triggered by heavy rains occur in the worst-affected areas of Mangan, Lachung, Lachen and Sighthan areas of north Sikkim

Heavy rainfall in the north, south, eastern and western states of the country now showing signs of receding

The country has experienced heavy rainfall during the four months of the monsoon this year with one percent above normal in the week upto Sept. 14, weakening from 39 percent above average in the previous week with indications that the four-month rainy season has begun to retreat after a normal spell.

• More than 5 million people hit by floods in India caused by annual monsoon rains
• India's monsoon rains one percent above normal in the week to Sept. 14, weakening from 39 percent above average in the previous week, easing concerns that heavy rains could damage planted crops
• Monsoon rains 33 percent below average in the week to September 28: The four-month rainy season begins to retreat after a normal spell

North India (Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Delhi)

There have been reports of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country such as Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Delhi in the North, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the South, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand in the east, Saurashtra, Rajasthan and Maharashtra in the West and the North East.

• Rains continues to lash North India: Landslide triggered by heavy rains at Panthal in Kashmir valley
• Heavy rains wreck havoc in eastern Uttar Pradesh: Claims 28 lives, water level in major rivers of the state rising
• Heavy rains wreak havoc in eastern Uttar Pradesh: 27 people lose lives in various rain-related incidents
• Incessant rain lashes Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh: Many parts of city submerged
• Heavy rainfall lash Delhi: Disrupts air traffic in Indria Gandhi International airport
• Localized cloudburst at Palam in Delhi: Roads leading to airport flooded with ankle deep water results in massive traffic jams
• Heavy rains lash Delhi flooding many roads and causing traffic jams: MET department predicts more showers
• Vigorous monsoon in Himachal Pradesh leaves behind a trail of destruction in the state: Damage estimated at around 334 crore
  
  

South India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala)

• All major reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh are brimming with floodwaters: This is following copious rainfall in the last few days in the upstream of both Godavari and Krishna
• A trough of low pressure running from Chhattisgarh to Tamil Nadu: This could bring more rains to coastal Andhra and the Telangana regions over the next 24 hours
• Heavy rains lash Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka: Rivers and rivulets in the area overflowing
• Rains continue to pound coastal Karnataka: Sea erosion worsens in Udupi district
• Department of Meteorology says Karnataka will continue to experience monsoon rains through October
• Ghataprabha dam in Belgaum district in Karnataka overflowing due to heavy rains:  13 bridges submerged in the district
• Rains lash Bangalore: More rains expected in the city according to MeT department officals
• Heavy rains lash Chennai and neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu: MeT office forecasts more rain or thundershowers
• Heavy rains lash Chennai in Tamil Nadu: Uprooting of trees and damage to roads reported
• Heavy rains lash Kerala: Fishermen warned of strong onshore winds with speed occasionally reaching 45-55 kmp
• Incessant rains wrecks havoc in Kochi, Kerala: All low lying areas flooded
  

Western India (Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Maharashtra)

• Rains continue to lash Saurashtra: India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts more rains
• Incessant rains lash Kutch region in Gujarat: Displaces 3,000 people, 450 fishermen reportedly missing
• Depression in Arabian Sea causes sudden weather change in Saurashtra-Kutch region in Gujarat: Two dead and 1000 boats stranded
• Rajasthan receives good rains this monsoon: Same trend in rains for another two months predicted to help fill the Bisalpur dam and touch the 315.5 m mark for the first time
• Incessant rains lash Udaipur in Rajasthan: Lakes and rivers of city overflow, disrupt normal life
• Healthy monsoon has supplied Mumbai with a year's store of water: No need for water cuts, five out of six lakes, which supply water to the city found to be overflowing
• The heavy rains across the country spells danger to the farmers in the Nagpur region of Maharashtra: They are facing difficult time following delayed start of monsoon, especially those cultivating cotton and soyabean
• Heavy rains lash North Maharashtra killing 6 people
  Torrential rains in Konkan region:  Slush accumulates on train tracks, affect rail services in the region
• All 7 gates of Irai dam in Maharashtra opened:  Water level crosses 207 meter mark
  Heavy rains with cyclonic winds cause havoc in Bicholim in Goa:  Five houses collaspe, plantation and fields submerge under water
  

North East

• Heavy rains lash Mizoram: Massive landslides causes road block
• Heavy showers in Guwahati in Assam inundate several areas in the city, largely due to filling up of wetlands and low-lying areas

East India (Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand)

• A new low pressure system triggers heavy rains in flood-hit Orissa: This hampers relief and reconstruction operations
• Heavy rains lash Northern Orissa due to depression: Government issues fresh flood alert in four districts of the state
• Meteorological department predicts more rain in Orissa: Low pressure area in Bay of Bengal triggers panic in flood hit districts of the state
• Heavy rains wrecks havoc in Bihar creating fresh fear of flood: Rivers Sone and Ganga in full spate and floods low-lying areas of the state
• Incessant rains lash Jharkand: Rivers Kharkhai and Swarnarekha in spate, people in low-lying area evacuated
• New low pressure starting to develop to bring in more rains in Jharkhand