News Analysis India

Tag: India Floods

  • Monsoon fury: At least 50 dead in rain-related incidents in Himachal, other states in three days

    By Online Desk

    At least 50 people have died in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Odisha over the last three days in flash floods and landslides triggered by intense monsoon rains, according to news agency Reuters.

    22 people were killed and 12 injured in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

    The maximum damage was reported from Mandi, Kangra, and Chamba districts.

    Five people who went missing after heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh remained untraceable on Sunday, State Disaster Management Department director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta told PTI.

    The five who went missing after a flash flood in Baghi nullah on the Mandi-Katola-Prashar road in Mandi are still untraceable, he added.

    Several families fled their homes located between Baghi and Old Katola after a cloudburst in the area on Saturday and took shelter at safer places.

    Mokhta said the Shimla-Chandigarh highway, which was blocked on Saturday evening following a landslide at Sonu Bangla between Shoghi and Tara Devi, has been cleared for vehicular movement.

    However, several roads, especially in Mandi, are still closed for traffic and work is on clear them, he added.

    Principal secretary, Revenue, Onkar Sharma said Rs 232.31 crore has been released from the State Disaster Response Fund to the affected districts.

    Two major rivers in Odisha breach danger mark

    In the state of Odisha, authorities in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts have launched a massive evacuation drive in low-lying areas, officials said Sunday, as water in Subarnarekha and Baitarani – the two major rivers flowing through the region  breached the danger mark at many places.

    As many as 58 rescue teams comprising personnel of the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service were deployed in Balasore and Mayurbahnj districts, Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep K Jena said, adding similar arrangements were also being made in adjoining districts of Bhadrak and Jajpur.

    The water level in all the rivers located in north Odisha are in spate due to heavy rains caused by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, and subsequent flood water release from Jharkhand.

    According to Jena, nearly 6 lakh cusecs of water were discharged by Jharkhand from Galudih barrage on the Subarnarekha river system, following a heavy downpour.

    Most rivers flowing through the northern region of Odisha into the Bay of Bengal originate in neighbouring Jharkhand.

    Four blocks in coastal Balasore district –Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta and Jaleswar –were identified as most vulnerable to the latest flooding.

    On Sunday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik delegated powers of a special relief commissioner to the collector of Balasore district so that the local administration could be more effective.

    A helicopter was also placed at his disposal to deal with any emergency.

    Odisha is already reeling under the impact of moderate floods in the Mahanadi river system following incessant rainfall, which has affected above 7 lakh people.

    Nearly 5 lakh are still marooned in 763 villages, according to government estimates.

    Rains and flood-related incidents have so far claimed six lives.

    Two bodies were recovered in Kuchinda area of Sambalpur district on Saturday, while four people, including two minor girls, were killed in a wall collapse on Friday night.

    ALSO READ | Odisha floods: It has been raining misery for Kandhamal, Kalahandi

    Jharkhand hit by torrential rains

     
    Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, three persons lost their lives amid heavy rain and strong winds that lashed several districts of the state, inundating low-lying areas and uprooting trees and electricity poles, officials said.

    A woman died when a mud wall of her house collapsed in West Singhbhum district, as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal brought torrential rainfall in various parts of the state on Saturday, they said.

    Two persons drowned in Ramgarh district and two more went missing when their vehicles fell into the swollen Nalkari river, and were swept away by the strong current, the officials said.

    Flood-like situation on Vaishno Devi yatra track

    In Jammu, the yatra to the Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir was temporarily suspended on Friday evening following heavy rain, officials said.

    Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Anshul Garg said the situation was under control and there was no report of any casualty or damage.

    Several videos shared on social media show flood-like situation on the Vaishno Devi track.

    An official said heavy rains lashed Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the revered shrine, for several hours in the evening, prompting the authorities to suspend the yatra as a precautionary measure till 5 am on Saturday.

    (With inputs from PTI)

    At least 50 people have died in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Odisha over the last three days in flash floods and landslides triggered by intense monsoon rains, according to news agency Reuters.

    22 people were killed and 12 injured in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

    The maximum damage was reported from Mandi, Kangra, and Chamba districts.

    Five people who went missing after heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh remained untraceable on Sunday, State Disaster Management Department director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta told PTI.

    The five who went missing after a flash flood in Baghi nullah on the Mandi-Katola-Prashar road in Mandi are still untraceable, he added.

    Several families fled their homes located between Baghi and Old Katola after a cloudburst in the area on Saturday and took shelter at safer places.

    Mokhta said the Shimla-Chandigarh highway, which was blocked on Saturday evening following a landslide at Sonu Bangla between Shoghi and Tara Devi, has been cleared for vehicular movement.

    However, several roads, especially in Mandi, are still closed for traffic and work is on clear them, he added.

    Principal secretary, Revenue, Onkar Sharma said Rs 232.31 crore has been released from the State Disaster Response Fund to the affected districts.

    Two major rivers in Odisha breach danger mark

    In the state of Odisha, authorities in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts have launched a massive evacuation drive in low-lying areas, officials said Sunday, as water in Subarnarekha and Baitarani – the two major rivers flowing through the region  breached the danger mark at many places.

    As many as 58 rescue teams comprising personnel of the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service were deployed in Balasore and Mayurbahnj districts, Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep K Jena said, adding similar arrangements were also being made in adjoining districts of Bhadrak and Jajpur.

    The water level in all the rivers located in north Odisha are in spate due to heavy rains caused by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, and subsequent flood water release from Jharkhand.

    According to Jena, nearly 6 lakh cusecs of water were discharged by Jharkhand from Galudih barrage on the Subarnarekha river system, following a heavy downpour.

    Most rivers flowing through the northern region of Odisha into the Bay of Bengal originate in neighbouring Jharkhand.

    Four blocks in coastal Balasore district –Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta and Jaleswar –were identified as most vulnerable to the latest flooding.

    On Sunday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik delegated powers of a special relief commissioner to the collector of Balasore district so that the local administration could be more effective.

    A helicopter was also placed at his disposal to deal with any emergency.

    Odisha is already reeling under the impact of moderate floods in the Mahanadi river system following incessant rainfall, which has affected above 7 lakh people.

    Nearly 5 lakh are still marooned in 763 villages, according to government estimates.

    Rains and flood-related incidents have so far claimed six lives.

    Two bodies were recovered in Kuchinda area of Sambalpur district on Saturday, while four people, including two minor girls, were killed in a wall collapse on Friday night.

    ALSO READ | Odisha floods: It has been raining misery for Kandhamal, Kalahandi

    Jharkhand hit by torrential rains

     
    Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, three persons lost their lives amid heavy rain and strong winds that lashed several districts of the state, inundating low-lying areas and uprooting trees and electricity poles, officials said.

    A woman died when a mud wall of her house collapsed in West Singhbhum district, as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal brought torrential rainfall in various parts of the state on Saturday, they said.

    Two persons drowned in Ramgarh district and two more went missing when their vehicles fell into the swollen Nalkari river, and were swept away by the strong current, the officials said.

    Flood-like situation on Vaishno Devi yatra track

    In Jammu, the yatra to the Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir was temporarily suspended on Friday evening following heavy rain, officials said.

    Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Anshul Garg said the situation was under control and there was no report of any casualty or damage.

    Several videos shared on social media show flood-like situation on the Vaishno Devi track.

    An official said heavy rains lashed Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the revered shrine, for several hours in the evening, prompting the authorities to suspend the yatra as a precautionary measure till 5 am on Saturday.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • Heavy showers in Kerala, Telangana; Home Guards help tribal woman deliver baby in rain-hit Chhattisgarh

    By PTI

    A team of Home Guard jawans helped a tribal woman deliver a baby on the banks of a swollen river in Chhattisgarh’s rain-hit Bijapur district on Sunday, police said.

    The Home Guard personnel were involved in rescue work in the rain-affected areas of the district when they were alerted about a woman who had to be shifted to a sub-health centre for delivery in the morning, a senior official said.

    Sarita Gondi started experiencing labour pains even as the jawans were shifting her to a rescue boat to take her across a river near Jhorgaya village in Gangaloor tehsil of the district, he said.

    The district administration had received a call from the family of the woman, who was in the advanced stages of pregnancy, seeking help to cross a river that flows along the village to reach a sub-health centre, he said.

    The river was in spate due to the heavy rains that lashed the area for the last few days, the official said.

    The administration alerted the Home Guard office in Bijapur, following which the rescue team swung into action, he said.

    The woman’s family had brought her to the river bank on an indigenous bamboo stretcher.

    On reaching the spot, the rescue team attempted to move her to a boat, when she went into labour, the official said.

    The woman gave birth on the stretcher itself, and both the newborn and the mother were taken across the river on a rescue boat and admitted to the sub-health centre in Reddy village, he said.

    The woman and newborn were said to be fine, the official added.

    A flood-like situation was witnessed in the interiors of Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma and Narayanpur districts due to incessant downpours in the last few days and the backwater of Godavari river that flows along the border of Chhattisgarh and Telangana, officials said.

    The Bastar division comprises seven districts – Bastar, Kanker, Kondgaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma.

    State Industries Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Saturday visited Bijapur and Sukma districts to take stock of the situation emerging out of the incessant rains.

    District officials have been instructed to keep the rescue teams on alert to deal with emergencies, while officials of the revenue, district panchayat, janpad panchayat and forest departments have been asked to provide relief to the affected people, they said.

    Heavy rains continue in Kerala, water in some dams reach red alert levels

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In Kerala, heavy rains continue to lash various parts of the state. The water levels in several dams, including the Mullaperiyar and Idukki, in the state are reaching their respective storage capacities and some even reached red alert status on Sunday.

    According to figures provided by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), water in six dams — of which four are in Idukki — under the control of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are at red alert levels and in one at orange alert level.

    The dams where water reached red alert levels at 11 am were — Ponmudi, Kallarkutty, Erattayar and Lower Periyar in Idukki, Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode and Moozhiyar in Pathanamthitta districts of the state.

    An Orange alert was announced in Poringalkuthu dam in Thrissur, KSDMA said.

    Later in the evening, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, referring to weather reports and KSDMA data, said an orange alert has also been announced in Meenkara irrigation dam in Palakkad.

    Besides that, blue alerts have been announced in Neyyar and Mangalam irrigation dams in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad, respectively, the Chief Minister said in a release.

    It also said the water level in Mullaperiyar dam has reached 135.75 feet and once it reaches 136.60 due to the rains, Tamil Nadu will release water from its side through the spillway and therefore, nearby residents should be vigilant and take precautions.

    The water levels in the Mullaperiyar dam were holding steady at 135.7 feet at 12 pm due to reduction in rainfall in the area during the preceding hours, an official from the control room set up in Idukki district had said earlier in the day.

    The Chief Minister, in the release, also said water was being released from Malankara, Siruvani, Kuttiyadi, Kallada, Karapuzha, Kanjirappuzha, Peechi, Maniyar, Bhoothathankettu, Moolathara and Pazhassi dams in the state and people nearby these dams should take precautions.

    He also said, in the release, that according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a yellow alert has been declared in Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts for the day and for tomorrow in Idukki, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.

    Vijayan asked people to be careful of wind hazards as strong winds are expected in the state and advised those living in low-lying areas, near river banks and hilly areas prone to landslides to be alert.

    He said, in the release, that 23 relief camps have been set up in various districts of the state and 1,485 people have been shifted there.

    Meanwhile, 23 people have died so far in rain-related incidents, 11 were injured, three are missing, 81 houses have been completely destroyed and 1,278 homes were partially damaged, the release said.

    Heavy rainfall in East Rajasthan, more rains expected in next 4-5 days: MeT dept

    JAIPUR: Heavy rainfall coupled with thunderstorm occurred at isolated places in East Rajasthan while several places received light to moderate rain in 24 hours ending 8.

    30 am on Sunday, the weather office said.

    Srinagar in Ajmer recorded 7 cm rainfall, 6 cm each in Bhadra and Sujangarh, and 5 cm each in Tonk tehsil, Begun, Hindoli, Baswa, Ratangarh and Suratgarh.

    Various places recorded 1 cm to 4 cm rainfall during the 24 hours, it said.

    MeT department regional director Radheshyam Sharma said Baran, Kota, Bundi, Tonk, Ajmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts are likely to receive heavy rains with thunder at some places.

    He said in the next four to five days, East Rajasthan is very likely to get rain coupled with thunderstorm at most places and heavy rain in some places.

    On July 19, there is a strong possibility of very heavy rain at one or two places and heavy rain at some places in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Kota divisions, he added.

    Guv visits flood-hit areas in Telangana, interacts with local residents

    Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday visited flood-affected areas in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district and interacted with the residents at relief camps.

    The Governor, who visited flood relief camps, also distributed hygiene kits, medicines and other relief materials.

    Tamilisai Soundararajan tweeted: “Distributed Hygiene Kits, Tarpaulins, Medicines and Food Packets to the public at flood relief camp in Ashwapuram Village #badrachalam District, organised by @IndianRedCross Society”.

    In a series of tweets, the Governor also said she visited flood-affected Pamulapalli village and interacted with the locals and assured necessary support in consultation with the district administration.

    The Governor further said she heard the grievances of the people at Battilagumpu village and assured them that it will be conveyed to the district administration for necessary assistance.

    Heavy rains (recently) and inflows led to a massive rise in water level in Godavari river (though it started declining on Saturday) at Bhadrachalam town in Telangana.

    Such massive water level and flooding was witnessed in 1986, some residents recalled.

    Several localities in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district continued to remain in water on Saturday.

    The state government has shifted several thousand people to relief camps in view of the flood in the district.

    A damaged road due to heavy monsoon rainfall, in Surat, on July 16, 2022. (Photo | PTI)

    Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli damages NH-7

    Meanwhile, an ANI report said that due to the heavy rainfall in Chamoli district, the road at National Highway-07 has been extensively damaged.

    Traffic with caution has also been restored in two severely damaged locations of Km. 398+500 (Karanprayag) and Km. 419+900(Pursari) and the contractor is in the process of restoring the road in full width.

    Recent media reports have alleged that the government has engaged a blacklisted company for the execution of the prestigious Chardham Project.

    National Highways and Infrastructure Development (NHIDCL) hereby clarifies that no blacklisted contractor is engaged on any of its projects and the selection of contractors for its projects are made after a prescribed due diligent process.

    The companies engaged are executing a number of Central and State Government infrastructure projects

    The roads are being constructed on EPC mode in which the contractor is responsible for the restoration of defects for four years even after construction. NHIDCL is committed to building high-quality highway infrastructure in the country. 

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

    A team of Home Guard jawans helped a tribal woman deliver a baby on the banks of a swollen river in Chhattisgarh’s rain-hit Bijapur district on Sunday, police said.

    The Home Guard personnel were involved in rescue work in the rain-affected areas of the district when they were alerted about a woman who had to be shifted to a sub-health centre for delivery in the morning, a senior official said.

    Sarita Gondi started experiencing labour pains even as the jawans were shifting her to a rescue boat to take her across a river near Jhorgaya village in Gangaloor tehsil of the district, he said.

    The district administration had received a call from the family of the woman, who was in the advanced stages of pregnancy, seeking help to cross a river that flows along the village to reach a sub-health centre, he said.

    The river was in spate due to the heavy rains that lashed the area for the last few days, the official said.

    The administration alerted the Home Guard office in Bijapur, following which the rescue team swung into action, he said.

    The woman’s family had brought her to the river bank on an indigenous bamboo stretcher.

    On reaching the spot, the rescue team attempted to move her to a boat, when she went into labour, the official said.

    The woman gave birth on the stretcher itself, and both the newborn and the mother were taken across the river on a rescue boat and admitted to the sub-health centre in Reddy village, he said.

    The woman and newborn were said to be fine, the official added.

    A flood-like situation was witnessed in the interiors of Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma and Narayanpur districts due to incessant downpours in the last few days and the backwater of Godavari river that flows along the border of Chhattisgarh and Telangana, officials said.

    The Bastar division comprises seven districts – Bastar, Kanker, Kondgaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma.

    State Industries Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Saturday visited Bijapur and Sukma districts to take stock of the situation emerging out of the incessant rains.

    District officials have been instructed to keep the rescue teams on alert to deal with emergencies, while officials of the revenue, district panchayat, janpad panchayat and forest departments have been asked to provide relief to the affected people, they said.

    Heavy rains continue in Kerala, water in some dams reach red alert levels

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In Kerala, heavy rains continue to lash various parts of the state. The water levels in several dams, including the Mullaperiyar and Idukki, in the state are reaching their respective storage capacities and some even reached red alert status on Sunday.

    According to figures provided by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), water in six dams — of which four are in Idukki — under the control of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are at red alert levels and in one at orange alert level.

    The dams where water reached red alert levels at 11 am were — Ponmudi, Kallarkutty, Erattayar and Lower Periyar in Idukki, Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode and Moozhiyar in Pathanamthitta districts of the state.

    An Orange alert was announced in Poringalkuthu dam in Thrissur, KSDMA said.

    Later in the evening, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, referring to weather reports and KSDMA data, said an orange alert has also been announced in Meenkara irrigation dam in Palakkad.

    Besides that, blue alerts have been announced in Neyyar and Mangalam irrigation dams in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad, respectively, the Chief Minister said in a release.

    It also said the water level in Mullaperiyar dam has reached 135.75 feet and once it reaches 136.60 due to the rains, Tamil Nadu will release water from its side through the spillway and therefore, nearby residents should be vigilant and take precautions.

    The water levels in the Mullaperiyar dam were holding steady at 135.7 feet at 12 pm due to reduction in rainfall in the area during the preceding hours, an official from the control room set up in Idukki district had said earlier in the day.

    The Chief Minister, in the release, also said water was being released from Malankara, Siruvani, Kuttiyadi, Kallada, Karapuzha, Kanjirappuzha, Peechi, Maniyar, Bhoothathankettu, Moolathara and Pazhassi dams in the state and people nearby these dams should take precautions.

    He also said, in the release, that according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a yellow alert has been declared in Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts for the day and for tomorrow in Idukki, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.

    Vijayan asked people to be careful of wind hazards as strong winds are expected in the state and advised those living in low-lying areas, near river banks and hilly areas prone to landslides to be alert.

    He said, in the release, that 23 relief camps have been set up in various districts of the state and 1,485 people have been shifted there.

    Meanwhile, 23 people have died so far in rain-related incidents, 11 were injured, three are missing, 81 houses have been completely destroyed and 1,278 homes were partially damaged, the release said.

    Heavy rainfall in East Rajasthan, more rains expected in next 4-5 days: MeT dept

    JAIPUR: Heavy rainfall coupled with thunderstorm occurred at isolated places in East Rajasthan while several places received light to moderate rain in 24 hours ending 8.

    30 am on Sunday, the weather office said.

    Srinagar in Ajmer recorded 7 cm rainfall, 6 cm each in Bhadra and Sujangarh, and 5 cm each in Tonk tehsil, Begun, Hindoli, Baswa, Ratangarh and Suratgarh.

    Various places recorded 1 cm to 4 cm rainfall during the 24 hours, it said.

    MeT department regional director Radheshyam Sharma said Baran, Kota, Bundi, Tonk, Ajmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts are likely to receive heavy rains with thunder at some places.

    He said in the next four to five days, East Rajasthan is very likely to get rain coupled with thunderstorm at most places and heavy rain in some places.

    On July 19, there is a strong possibility of very heavy rain at one or two places and heavy rain at some places in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Kota divisions, he added.

    Guv visits flood-hit areas in Telangana, interacts with local residents

    Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday visited flood-affected areas in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district and interacted with the residents at relief camps.

    The Governor, who visited flood relief camps, also distributed hygiene kits, medicines and other relief materials.

    Tamilisai Soundararajan tweeted: “Distributed Hygiene Kits, Tarpaulins, Medicines and Food Packets to the public at flood relief camp in Ashwapuram Village #badrachalam District, organised by @IndianRedCross Society”.

    In a series of tweets, the Governor also said she visited flood-affected Pamulapalli village and interacted with the locals and assured necessary support in consultation with the district administration.

    The Governor further said she heard the grievances of the people at Battilagumpu village and assured them that it will be conveyed to the district administration for necessary assistance.

    Heavy rains (recently) and inflows led to a massive rise in water level in Godavari river (though it started declining on Saturday) at Bhadrachalam town in Telangana.

    Such massive water level and flooding was witnessed in 1986, some residents recalled.

    Several localities in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district continued to remain in water on Saturday.

    The state government has shifted several thousand people to relief camps in view of the flood in the district.

    A damaged road due to heavy monsoon rainfall, in Surat, on July 16, 2022. (Photo | PTI)

    Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli damages NH-7

    Meanwhile, an ANI report said that due to the heavy rainfall in Chamoli district, the road at National Highway-07 has been extensively damaged.

    Traffic with caution has also been restored in two severely damaged locations of Km. 398+500 (Karanprayag) and Km. 419+900(Pursari) and the contractor is in the process of restoring the road in full width.

    Recent media reports have alleged that the government has engaged a blacklisted company for the execution of the prestigious Chardham Project.

    National Highways and Infrastructure Development (NHIDCL) hereby clarifies that no blacklisted contractor is engaged on any of its projects and the selection of contractors for its projects are made after a prescribed due diligent process.

    The companies engaged are executing a number of Central and State Government infrastructure projects

    The roads are being constructed on EPC mode in which the contractor is responsible for the restoration of defects for four years even after construction. NHIDCL is committed to building high-quality highway infrastructure in the country. 

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

  • 17 dead, thousands moved to safety as rains batter various parts of India

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Incessant showers caused landslides and floods in various parts of the country leaving at least 17 people dead on Wednesday while thousands more were forced to move to safety as rivers swelled and water reservoirs filled up fast.

    The Telangana government has announced education institutes in the state will remain closed till Saturday because of continuous rain that inundated low-lying areas and damaged road links in several places.

    Also, in Maharashtra’s Palghar, Pune city and the neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad area schools and colleges will remain shut on Thursday due to a heavy rain forecast.

    Rains, however, continued to elude Delhi as the city has so far recorded 148.2 mm of rainfall against a normal of 149.7 mm since June 1.

    Despite light rains in the morning, high humidity, oscillating between 68 per cent and 95 per cent, caused discomfiture during the day.

    In the west, heavy showers in parts of south Gujarat and Kutch-Saurashtra regions since Tuesday left 14 people dead, while over 31,000 were evacuated so far this season.

    Three national highways in Kutch, Navsari and Dang districts were blocked while 51 state highways and over 400 panchayat roads have also been damaged, state Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi said.

    Heavy rains have also led to a rise in the water levels of various reservoirs in the state, with 30 of them being filled up to 70 per cent or more out of their total storage capacity.

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’, predicting heavy rains till Thursday in Saurashtra and south Gujarat districts.

    Several parts of Kutch, Bharuch, Dang, Navsari and Tapi districts in south Gujarat received very heavy rainfall.

    In the Saurashtra region, Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Jamnagar were among the districts that received heavy downpours.

    Rains have wreaked havoc in Maharashtra, causing a landslide in the Palghar district that killed a man and his daughter while four people were swept away in overflowing streams in the Gondia district.

    Both Palghar and Gondia districts have been witnessing very heavy rains since Tuesday night that inundated low-lying areas.

    Following the landslide in Palghar, at least 40 families in the neighbourhood of Waghralpada have been shifted to safety.

    In the Chandrapur district, 35 passengers had a close shave after their bus got stranded on a bridge submerged by a flooded stream.

    Police personnel used big ropes to rescue the stranded passengers, including children.

    In the Bhandara district, 15 people got stranded at a temple in the middle of the swollen Wainganga river.

    They had gone to the temple to offer prayers on the occasion of Guru Purnima.

    As many as 200 families were shifted to safety in Nanded district as the Painganga river started overflowing owing to continuous heavy downpours for the last three days.

    Road links to 26 villages in the district have been cut off due to floods, officials said.

    In Gadchiroli too, 2,000 people from 19 villages were shifted to safety as the Godavari, Kaleshwaram and Indravati rivers are at spate while the Wainganga, Pranhita and Wardha rivers are flowing near the warning level in the district.

    The Maharashtra capital was lashed by incessant showers leading to flooding in many low-lying areas and traffic snarls.

    According to IMD, 20 locations in Mumbai received nearly 40 mm showers in six hours till 9.30 am on Wednesday.

    Local trains, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were largely unaffected on the Central Railway and Western Railway routes.

    The suburban services on the Harbour Line were running slow, according to railway officials.

    As rains continue to wreak havoc in different parts of Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said 32 people have lost their lives so far and Rs 500 crore will be released immediately to restore the basic infrastructure that got damaged.

    Rains have continued in several parts of Malnad and coastal Karnataka causing a flood-like situation, also there have been several incidents of landslide and sea erosion.

    Rivers in the region have swelled, several dams have reached the brim and there is severe waterlogging in agriculture fields and low-lying areas causing damage to crops and properties.

    Similar is the situation in adjoining districts of Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan.

    The increase in water level in rivers and dams are a cause of worry in a few northern districts of Belagavi, Vijayanagara and Yadgir.

    Water is being let out through 15 crest gates at Yadgir’s Basava Sagara dam into the Krishna river.

    The reservoir is receiving an inflow of about one lakh cusecs.

    People along the riverside have been asked to move to safer areas.

    With the Tungabhadra dam almost reaching its capacity and increasing water flow in the river, there are threats of some of the monuments at the heritage site of Hampi like Purandara Mantapa getting inundated.

    In Odisha, very heavy rains battered many parts of the coastal state, causing a landslide in the Gajapati district that damaged at least 10 houses while major roads in Malkangiri and Kalahandi districts were damaged.

    The IMD has forecast heavy to very rains in nine southern Odisha districts in the next two days.

    The heavy rainfall has thrown life out of gear in the Motu area of Malkangiri district bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

    Road communication between Malkangiri to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has been disrupted as rainwater up to a height of six to eight feet was flowing on the road, an official said.

    The rainwater was also seen flowing over major roads in the Kalahandi district.

  • 18 killed in rain-related incidents in Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP; villages put on alert due to possible overflow of dams

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: At least 18 people, including six children, were killed in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh while thousands were evacuated and forced to stay in shelter homes amid continued heavy rains in the states on Tuesday.

    Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds lashed Mumbai and suburbs and also flooded many parts of the city within a couple of hours, throwing road traffic out of gear at some places.

    Heavy showers occurred at isolated places in east Rajasthan while a few other parts of the state recorded light to moderate rains.

    Mount Abu and Pratapgarh recorded a maximum of 8 cm of rainfall in a day.

    Showers in Delhi also brought down the mercury but caused traffic snarls and waterlogging in parts of the city where the minimum settled at 26.2 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal.

    According to India Meteorological Department data, Delhi recorded 2 mm of rains in 24 hours till 8:30 am on Tuesday.

    However, data from IMD showed that five districts in Delhi have reported deficient rainfall this monsoon so far due to poor distribution of rains.

    On average, Delhi has recorded a rainfall deficiency of 23 per cent — gauging 90.4 mm of rains as against a normal of 116.9 mm since June 1, when the monsoon season starts.

    Three children were killed and four others injured after being struck by lightning amid rains in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district.

    Heavy downpour covered more areas of Gujarat where six people died in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours, raising the toll to 69 since June 1.

    A total of 27,896 people were evacuated from flood-affected areas and 18,225 of them remained in shelters while the others have returned home, state Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi said.

    While heavy rains lashed districts in south Gujarat since the last few days, parts of Kutch and Rajkot in the Saurashtra region also witnessed heavy showers since Monday night, officials said.

    According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Anjar taluka in Kutch received 167 mm rainfall in six hours since 6 am on Tuesday, while Gandhidham taluka in the district got 145 mm rainfall.

    Narmada, Surat, Dang, Valsad and Tapi districts of south Gujarat, and Panchmahal and Chhota Udepur in central part of the state witnessed heavy rains over the last one day.

    IN PICS | Monsoon rains cause havoc in different parts of the country

    The IMD has issued a ‘red alert’ for heavy to very heavy rains in Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Tapi, Dang, Narmada, Chhota Udepur districts, as well as Kutch, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Morbi in the Saurashtra region till Wednesday morning.

    Heavy rains continued to lash parts of Maharashtra.

    At least nine people, including three children, died in rain-related incidents, while 95 people were evacuated from flooded places.

    Thirteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and three of the State Disaster Response Force were deployed in vulnerable districts of the state, officials said.

    The Met department has issued a red alert of extremely heavy rains at isolated places for Nashik, Palghar, and Pune districts for the next three days.

    Heavy rains also forced schools and colleges to remain closed in Nashik city where people in flood-prone areas were asked to shift to safer places.

    Nashik city received 97.4 mm rainfall in the 24 hours till 8.30 AM on Tuesday.

    Palghar district neighbouring Mumbai received 109.9 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8:30 AM on Tuesday but there is no flooding.

    Thane district received 106.3 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours ending 8:30 AM on Tuesday.

    Two persons were killed after a structure collapsed in a Mumbai suburb, while one person drowned in the Gadchiroli district in east Maharashtra, authorities said.

    Three residents of Madhya Pradesh died and as many others are missing after their vehicle was swept away from a flooded bridge amid rains in the state’s Nagpur district on Tuesday.

    The deceased were residents of Betul district in MP.

    The incessant showers affected 10 villages in Gadchiroli, Nandurbar and Mumbai suburban regions.

    Three minor siblings drowned in a water-filled pit in Chakan area of Maharashtra’s Pune district on Tuesday.

    The children, in the age group of four to eight years, drowned while bathing in the pit which was dug by a farmer near their house and water had collected in it due to rains.

    Four people were injured, including two critically, after a portion of a dilapidated residential structure collapsed in Pune city.

    The water resources department has started a discharge of water from the Gangapur dam in the Nashik district at 284.16 cusecs, following the rise in the Godavari river level.

    Seventy people were evacuated by authorities in Nashik district and 25 in Gadchiroli district as a precautionary measure.

    The administrations in Thane and Palghar districts of Maharashtra have alerted villages near river banks, warning them of a possible overflow of dams, as catchment areas have received good rainfall over the last few days, officials said on Tuesday.

    As per a release issued by the Thane district administration, the Tansa and Modaksagar dams were on the verge of overflowing and villages on the banks of the rivers surrounding these have been put on alert.

    Villages on the banks of Tansa and Vaitarna rivers have been alerted about the possible overflow of the dams, which come under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, it said.

    People living on the river banks in Shahapur, Bhiwandi, Wada, Vasai and Palghar talukas have been asked to take precautions, it said.

    The Damni dam area in the neighbouring district of Palghar has also received good rainfall and the reservoir was getting full and likely to cross the overflow limit soon, an official release said.

    In a week’s time, the dam water will be released into Surya river and hence, villages on the banks of the river have also been put on alert.

    Meanwhile, two persons from Dahanu, who went for fishing in the sea, were swept away on Monday evening and their bodies were recovered this morning, said Vivekanand Kadam, the chief of the district disaster management cell, Palghar.

    The bodies of Gopal Madve and Vasant Raut, both residents of Bahad, were found at Kopar creek in Gungwad of Dahanu the official said.

    According to the Konkan divisional office, the average rainfall of Tuesday was 79.60 mm, and the maximum of 109.0 mm rain was recorded in Palghar district.

    Thane received 106.30 mm rain, while Palghar saw 109.90 mm, Raigad 96.80 mm, Ratnagiri 63.40 mm and Sindhudurg 35.50 mm showers, it was stated.