Geography

15 items tagged Geography.

• 2026-10-01

  Southwest monsoon 2026 ends with 13 percent rainfall deficit, worst since 2015

  The India Meteorological Department said on 30 September 2026 that the southwest monsoon ended the season with all India cumulative rainfall at 87 percent of the long period average, the lowest since 2015 and the fourth lowest since 2001. Cumulative rainfall between June and September was around 759.4 mm against a normal of about 868.6 mm, with the southern and eastern parts of the country worst affected under the influence of El Nino at 76 percent and 74 percent of normal respectively. Reservoir levels in southern India stood at 50 percent of live storage capacity as of 24 September against a national figure of 79 percent, and the IMD forecast below normal rainfall for October as well, with El Nino expected to peak in November.

• 2026-10-01

  Ministry of Mines launches India's first offshore mineral block auction in the Andaman Sea

  The Ministry of Mines launched the auction of two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea on 1 October 2026, under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 and the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024. The blocks, covering a combined 1,632 square kilometres near Great Nicobar Island, will be offered for a composite licence covering both exploration and mining of polymetallic nodules and crusts containing cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. This follows an amendment notified on 24 September 2026 that lowered the minimum number of technically qualified bidders needed for a first attempt auction from three to two, after the country's first such auction was cancelled in December 2025 for lack of bidder interest.

• 2026-09-27

  Maharashtra declares drought in 265 of 358 talukas amid an 18.8 percent rainfall deficit

  The Maharashtra government declared drought in 265 of the state's 358 talukas, or 74 percent of the state, spread across 32 districts, according to a government resolution issued late on 26 September 2026. The state activated Trigger 1 under its Drought Management Code (2016, updated 2020), which is triggered by a rainfall deficit of more than 25 percent combined with a dry spell of at least 21 days. The state recorded an 18.8 percent rainfall deficit between June and 18 September, receiving 755.9 mm of rainfall against an average of 932.3 mm. Announced relief measures include crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions and power bill concessions for larger agricultural pumps, though the specific financial assistance for crop losses will only be decided after ground level assessments are completed.

• 2026-09-27

  Centre notifies Deendayal, JNPA, Paradip and Mundra as India's first mega ports

  The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways notified the ports of Deendayal at Kandla, Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva, Paradip and the Adani Group operated Mundra Port as mega ports, after they met criteria notified under Section 73 of the Indian Ports Act, 2025. Of these, Deendayal, Jawaharlal Nehru Port and Paradip are among India's 12 major ports, while Mundra is a non-major port that also satisfied the mega port criteria. India has 12 major ports in total, including Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, Tuticorin, Visakhapatnam and Kolkata, along with more than 200 non-major ports.

• 2026-09-25

  Cyclone Arnab's deep depression crosses the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast, over 1,500 evacuated from Gajapati

  The deep depression associated with Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast late on 23 September 2026, bringing high winds and heavy rain to both states, according to the India Meteorological Department. Odisha authorities evacuated more than 1,500 residents from Gajapati district alone, on top of about 5,000 evacuated a day earlier as heavy rain lashed coastal Odisha, and placed 380 Fire and Emergency Services teams along with 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams on alert. The system was expected to retain its intensity through Thursday before gradually weakening, and the cyclone was named Arnab, meaning ocean in Bengali, by Bangladesh.

• 2026-09-25

  Southwest monsoon withdraws from Delhi two days ahead of schedule

  The India Meteorological Department said the southwest monsoon withdrew from Delhi on 23 September 2026, two days ahead of the normal withdrawal date of 25 September. Delhi recorded 728.6 mm of rainfall between 1 June and 23 September, against a normal of 629.7 mm, about 16 percent above normal and within the IMD's normal rainfall category. The monsoon had arrived over Delhi on 2 July this year, later than its normal onset date of 27 June.

• 2026-09-24

  Deep depression over Bay of Bengal completes landfall near Andhra Pradesh Odisha coast, over 5,000 evacuated

  The India Meteorological Department said the front sector of the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal began entering land close to the southwest of Kalingapatnam, between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, in the early hours of 24 September 2026, with the landfall process continuing for about two hours before the system moved inland while still holding deep depression intensity. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the situation on the evening of 23 September and directed officials to ensure zero casualties, with 33 Disaster Rapid Action Force teams deployed and nine more on standby, 380 fire and emergency teams alerted, and around 5,000 people moved to safer locations from low lying and landslide prone areas. A house collapse linked to the heavy rain killed one person in Balasore, even as squally weather with winds of 55 to 65 kmph and red alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall continued across southern Odisha.

• 2026-09-23

  IMD says Bay of Bengal deep depression to cross Odisha-Andhra coast on the night of 23 to 24 September

  The India Meteorological Department said on 22 September 2026 that the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the north Andhra Pradesh, south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of 23 September and the early hours of 24 September, with winds gusting up to 75 kmph between the morning of 23 September and the evening of 24 September. A red alert covers Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam districts of Odisha for heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy falls on 23 and 24 September, while Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri remain on red alert for 24 and 25 September, and several districts have shut schools and anganwadi centres as a precaution. Odisha's Chief Secretary said the IMD has confirmed the system is expected to intensify only into a deep depression rather than a cyclone, so it is not expected to be named Arnab despite the name being reserved for the next storm on the roster.

• 2026-09-22

  Bay of Bengal system intensifies into deep depression, IMD warns of landfall near Odisha-Andhra coast on 23 September

  The India Meteorological Department said the low pressure system being tracked over the Bay of Bengal, which would be named Arnab if it strengthens into a cyclonic storm, intensified into a deep depression over the west central Bay of Bengal on 22 September 2026. The system was forecast to move west northwestwards and cross the south Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh coast near Kalingapatnam and Srikakulam district by the morning of 23 September. The IMD warned of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over north coastal Andhra Pradesh from 22 to 24 September and south Odisha from 22 to 25 September, along with gusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph over several Odisha districts including Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada, and advised fishermen against venturing into the sea.

• 2026-09-20

  Southwest monsoon begins retreat even as 43 percent of India remains rain deficient

  The India Meteorological Department said on 19 September 2026 that the southwest monsoon has begun withdrawing from parts of west Rajasthan, close to the climatological normal withdrawal date of 17 September, even as nearly 43 percent of the country's geographical area remains in a rainfall deficit. The withdrawal line has passed through Rajasthan's Ramgarh, Mohangarh, Phalodi and Khajuwala areas and is expected to advance across more of Rajasthan, Punjab and Kutch-Saurashtra over the next three to four days. Seasonal rainfall as of 19 September stood 15 percent below normal at 695.6 millimetres nationwide, with Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar among the worst affected states.

• 2026-09-20

  IMD expects Bay of Bengal system to become a depression around 21 September, cross Odisha-Andhra coast by the 23rd

  The India Meteorological Department said the low pressure area that formed over the Andaman Sea on the evening of 19 September 2026, potentially the first cyclone of the season if it strengthens further, is very likely to intensify into a depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal on 21 September and a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal on 22 September. The system is expected to reach the south Odisha to north Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of 23 September, with winds of 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph and rough to very rough sea conditions forecast along the Odisha coast. The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal from 21 to 23 September, and the Odisha government has placed 20 coastal and southern districts on alert.

• 2026-09-19

  IMD tracks possible first cyclone of the season forming in the Bay of Bengal

  The India Meteorological Department is tracking a cyclonic circulation over the north Andaman Sea that is expected to consolidate into a low pressure area around 19 to 20 September and could intensify into a depression by 21 or 22 September as it moves into the central Bay of Bengal. Forecast models suggest the system, which would be provisionally named Arnab if it strengthens into a cyclonic storm, may track towards the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coasts, though its eventual intensity and path remain uncertain. It would be the first cyclone of the year in the North Indian Ocean if it forms.

• 2026-09-06

  India votes for UNGA resolution to correct the world map's depiction of Africa

  The 193 member UN General Assembly on 4 September 2026 adopted, by 164 votes to one, a resolution titled 'Correct the map: rebalancing global cartographic representation and promoting equitable representation of the world's regions, particularly Africa'. Sponsored by Togo, the resolution flags concern that the widely used Mercator projection, which makes Greenland appear roughly the same size as Africa even though Africa is about fourteen times larger, minimises the perceived sizes of Africa, Latin America and South Asia. India voted in favour of the resolution, while the United States cast the lone vote against and Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine abstained.

• 2026-08-19

  IMD forecasts very heavy rain over UP, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand as system moves inland

  Days after the depression that triggered a red alert in West Bengal and Odisha, the associated spell of heavy rain has continued moving inland and westward. The India Meteorological Department forecast very heavy rainfall in places over East and West Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with moderate to heavy rain also expected over the north east, Delhi, Haryana and neighbouring states. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds were forecast over parts of southern and central India during the same period.

• 2026-08-18

  Depression over Bay of Bengal triggers red alert in West Bengal and Odisha

  A low pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression by the early hours of 17 August and lay near the coast of West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh, before tracking northwestwards across Gangetic West Bengal towards Jharkhand. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for West Bengal and Odisha, forecasting isolated extremely heavy rainfall of over 204.5 millimetres, with heavy to very heavy rain also expected over Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Several hill states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, were placed under an orange alert for a separate spell of heavy rain.