Goa, Oct. 17 -- Nearly half of India experienced extreme rainfall during the 2025 monsoon, with 45% of the country's landmass affected and over 1,500 lives lost, according to a recent analysis by climate watchdog Climate Trends. Experts now attribute the intense monsoon patterns primarily to climate change rather than El Nino or La Nina cycles.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the southwest monsoon concluded at 108% of the long-period average (LPA), marking an excess season dominated by concentrated downpours. This resulted in 2,277 flood and heavy rainfall incidents, 59 river breaches across nine major basins, and 1,528 fatalities, making it the third-highest flood occurrence since 2020.

Northwest India recorded ...