New Delhi: Nearly 100 people have been in landslides and other rain-related incidents as heavy rains battered north India in the last two days.
Horrifying visuals were shared online by people from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. These showed vehicles being washed away in floods, parts of roads caved in, and bridges collapsing as water levels rose.
In Himachal Pradesh there was no let-up in the monsoon fury with flash floods and landslides claiming 19 lives over the past two days, affecting most hydropower projects and destroying property worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
Officials said over 300 tourists and local people are stranded in Chandertal, Pagal Nallah and other places in Lahaul and Spiti, while teams of National Disaster Response Force, police and home guard rescued 515 labourers from waterlogged slum areas at Lalsingi in Una district.
Nine people have died in rain-related incidents in Punjab and Haryana as incessant showers battered the two states for the third day in a row, flooding many places and sending authorities scrambling for rescue operations.
The Punjab government has ordered the closure of schools till July 13 while in Chandigarh schools are closed till Thursday.
In view of incessant heavy rainfall, the Haryana government has called teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to deal with any kind of emergency.
Apart from this, the state is constantly contained with the Army, to seek their help, if required. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken with chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand about the situation and assured them of all help and support from the central government.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department said that the extreme rainfall that has ravaged Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi since Saturday is likely to subside from Tuesday. The agency said there will be heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and eastern Rajasthan.
In the weather bulletin the IMD said extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over northeastern India and adjoining areas of eastern India in the next two to three days.
“The heavy rainfall is due to an interaction between a western disturbance and the monsoon, said M Mohapatra, director general of the weather bureau. “The interaction is causing heavy to very heavy rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, north Punjab and Haryana, Uttarakhand.
He added that as forecast by us that there will be good rainfall in July, we have covered the rainfall deficit now adding that in the past nine days, rainfall was 24% excess for the period in July. Rainfall will gradually reduce over these states from tomorrow onwards.”
In the past two days, an interaction between a western disturbance and the monsoon trough led to extremely heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, causing landslides, flooding and widespread damage.
According to IMD officials the western disturbance is moving eastwards now so Uttar Pradesh and adjoining areas can expect good rain.
In the national capital, the water level of the Yamuna, which breached the danger mark was recorded at 206.04 mm. According to the flood bulletin, the water level of the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge was recorded at 206.10 mm at 03.00 am July 11.
Officials said the evacuation of people living on the Yamuna floodplains begins at the ‘Orange alert’ mark, which is at 206 metres.
In view of the prediction of rainy weather, holiday has been declared tomorrow for students of classes Nursery to fifth in all Government and Government-aided schools under the Directorate of Education in Delhi. All MCD schools, MCD-aided and Recognised schools will also remain closed for students on Tuesday.
As the IMD predicted moderate to heavy rains in the national capital for today, the Delhi government has declared a holiday for students studying in classes Nursery to 5th in all government and aided schools.
Indian Railways has suspended rail traffic over the old Yamuna bridge since 6 a.m. today. The decision was taken after Yamuna crossed the danger mark today. According to the flood bulletin, the water level of the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge was recorded at 206.10 mm at 03.00 am on Tuesday.
Railway has also taken precautionary measures in view of heavy rain, Shobhan Chaudhari, General Manager, Northern Railway said that around 24 trains running on the Delhi-Ambala route have been cancelled following inclement weather in North India.
In Uttar Pradesh at least 34 people died due to lightning and other rain-related incidents within 24 hours as the state experienced heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday.
According to information made available by the relief commissioner’s office, 17 people died due to lightning, 12 due to drowning, and five due to heavy rainfall in the state in the last 24 hours.
