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NatureScience151 words1 min read

Satellite Images Show Heavy Monsoon Clouds Over India

A space satellite hovering above the coastline
Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash
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New satellite images show a huge circle of monsoon clouds over India, giving the season a striking new look. Experts say the pattern looks different from earlier in the season.

In Varanasi, heavy rain fell for about 15 hours straight. The water flooded hospitals and homes, causing serious trouble for local people and staff.

Delhi-NCR also saw strong rain for a second day in a row. Reports say around 15 states, including Madhya Pradesh, received rainfall in the same period.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert for Wednesday, August 26. The forecast predicts heavy rain in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and nearby areas.

Such widespread rain often causes waterlogging on roads and disrupts daily life. Local authorities usually ask people to stay careful during heavy downpours.

Officials will keep watching the satellite data to track how the clouds move across the country in the coming days.

Vocabulary10 words

satellite
a machine in space that takes pictures of Earth
monsoon
a long rainy season in South Asia
flooded
covered with water
IMD
India's official weather agency
alert
an official warning about danger
forecast
a prediction about future weather
waterlogging
when rainwater collects and does not drain
pattern
a repeated or noticeable shape or order
disrupts
stops something from working normally
widespread
happening in many places at once

Quiz

1. What did the satellite images reveal?
2. What happened in Varanasi because of the rain?
3. The IMD's alert for Wednesday predicts dry weather in Delhi and UP. True or false?

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

New _____ images show a huge circle of monsoon clouds over India.

Experts say the _____ looks different from earlier in the season.

In Varanasi, heavy rain fell for about _____ hours straight.

The water _____ hospitals and homes, causing serious trouble.

Delhi-NCR also saw strong rain for a second day in a _____.

Reports say around 15 states, including Madhya Pradesh, received _____.

The IMD has issued a rain _____ for Wednesday, August 26.

The _____ predicts heavy rain in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and nearby areas.

Such widespread rain often causes _____ on roads.

Discussion questions

  1. Have you ever seen flooding caused by heavy rain? What happened?
  2. Why do you think satellite images are useful for tracking weather?
  3. How can cities better prepare for sudden heavy rainfall?
  4. What problems can long periods of rain cause for hospitals?

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