Rain, thunderstorms to bring relief from heat across large parts of India

New DelhiUpdated: May 29, 2026 10:27 AM IST The weather depaertment stated that the monsoon progressed over additional areas of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep region and parts of the Bay of Bengal between May 23 and May 27. The southwest monsoon has advanced further over parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, with conditions turning favourable for its spread into more parts of peninsular and northeastern India over the coming days, according to the latest bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather depaertment stated that the monsoon progressed over additional areas of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep region and parts of the Bay of Bengal between May 23 and May 27. During the next week, the monsoon is expected to advance into more parts of the south peninsula, northeast India and central Bay of Bengal.In South Rain intensified across Kerala and Lakshadweep, with the IMD reporting rain at most places in Kerala and at many places in Lakshadweep. Mattanchery in Ernakulam district recorded the highest rainfall at 10 cm, followed by Vaikkom in Kottayam district at 9 cm. Cherthala in Alappuzha and Venkurinji in Pathanamthitta recorded 8 cm each, while several places across Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Palakkad districts received between 5 and 7 cm of rainfall. Moderate showers were also reported from Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Idukki and Kollam districts as monsoon conditions strengthened over the state. Maximum temperature fell appreciably in Kollam district and no large change in it elsewhere over Kerala during the past 24 hours, IMD mentioned. However, it was below normal in Kollam district and it remained normal elsewhere over Kerala. Palakkad recorded the highest maximum temperature of 35.1°C. Heavy rain lashes several states The IMD has also forecast more heavy rainfall over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal and northeastern states in the coming days. Extremely heavy rainfall was recorded over Kerala and Mahe on May 22 and over Assam and Meghalaya on May 24. Heavy to very heavy rainfall was also reported from Bihar, coastal Karnataka, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, along with several northeastern states. Thunderstorm alert The weather department has warned of widespread thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds across several states. Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are likely to witness strong thundersqualls, with wind speeds reaching up to 100 kmph in isolated areas.Story continues below this ad Dust storms are also expected over Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on May29, while hailstorm activity is likely in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. North India under heat stress Even as monsoon activity picked up in the south and east, large parts of north and central India continued to experience intense heatwave conditions through the past week. Severe heatwave conditions were reported in parts of Vidarbha, east Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh, while Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar also witnessed prolonged heatwave spells. Banda in Uttar Pradesh and Bramhapuri in Maharashtra recorded the highest maximum temperature of 47.6 degrees Celsius during the week. Weekly average temperatures remained 1-3 degrees Celsius above normal across parts of north, northwest and central India.

As wearable technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, the IPL’s Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU) has sounded the alarm over the use of smart glasses and similar gadgets during matches. An investigation by The Indian Express has revealed that players, support staff and franchises were cautioned against using such devices in restricted zones, including dressing rooms, dugouts and other secure player areas. According to the advisory, these wearables, capable of recording audio, video or transmitting data, could compromise anti-corruption protocols and team confidentiality. The ACSU also reminded franchises that any electronic device used in sensitive areas must comply strictly with BCCI anti-corruption guidelines, amid rising global concerns over the misuse of wearable technology in sports. On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. 👇 🚨 Big Story Overwhelmed, understaffed, underequipped An investigation by The Indian Express has laid bare the deadly state of maternal healthcare in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, where childbirth itself has become a life-threatening ordeal for many women. Between April 2025 and March 2026, 53 women died before, during or after delivery, pushing the district’s maternal mortality ratio to 211 — far above the national average of 87. The probe found that repeated warnings by health officials failed to improve crumbling infrastructure and emergency care. Women reportedly died due to severe anaemia, infections, excessive bleeding and delays in treatment, with many losing their lives while being shifted between hospitals because of a lack of blood, ambulances and specialist doctors. The district hospital was found severely understaffed, while health centres lacked basic medicines, blood storage and trained staff. Race against time and death A haunting follow-up investigation into Madhya Pradesh’s maternal healthcare crisis captures the desperation of families who watched women die while searching for blood, ambulances and emergency care. Speaking to relatives of 20 of the 53 women who died in Sidhi district over a year, the report reveals a healthcare system stretched to collapse — where pregnant women were repeatedly shifted between overcrowded hospitals, some dying on the way to Rewa Medical College nearly 70 km away. One woman reportedly died in her husband’s arms during an ambulance transfer, while another could not survive because blood was not arranged in time. The investigation found that severe anaemia, infections, excessive bleeding and delayed treatment were among the leading causes, compounded by understaffed hospitals, equipment shortages and poor healthcare access in remote tribal areas. ⚡ Only in Express Political analyst Yogendra Yadav argues that the viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is not a mere internet joke, but a significant “moment” reflecting deep public frustration, anxiety, and alienation, particularly among India’s youth. Yadav links the CJP to historical protests like the 1970s Bihar movement and the 2012 Anna Hazare movement, which rose against dominant governments. By using memes and satire, the CJP employs “dilemma action”—a strategy that forces the government to look either weak if ignored or authoritarian if suppressed. While Yadav cautions that online virality lacks the organisational structure and leadership needed for true political power, he warns traditional opposition parties not to dismiss it. Ultimately, the CJP signals a widespread dissatisfaction with the current political establishment, highlighting a growing demand for a new form of solidarity rooted in shared vulnerability during challenging times. 📰 From the Front Page Visa upselling: An investigation by The Indian Express and Lighthouse Reports has put VFS Global centres in Delhi and Mumbai under scrutiny over the alleged aggressive sale of “value-added services” such as premium lounges, courier delivery and SMS alerts. Based on nearly 150 inspection reports from 20 EU countries, t