Monsoon fury continues across the country, with 18 dead in Uttar Pradesh, a flood-like situation in Rajasthan, and more heavy rain forecast in Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Torrential rain caused heavy rainfall and landslides in some areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, affecting normal life and disrupting traffic movement.
Drownings, snakebites in UP
In Uttar Pradesh, 18 people died over 24 hours ending at 8 pm on July 18. Eight drowned following excessive rain, while two died of snakebites.
In Chitrakoot, two deaths due to drowning were reported on July 17 and 18, three in Moradabad on July 17, and one drowned in Ghazipur on July 18, according to an official statement.
Rain-related incidents after downpour claimed three lives in Banda and two each in Mahoba and Chitrakoot, and one in Lalitpur on July 18, the statement said.
Floods in Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has resulted in flood-like conditions in several cities, including Ajmer, Pushkar, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, and Pali.
Many villages have been cut off as rivers, drains, and dams overflowed due to the intense rain. On Friday night, 17 people got stranded in the Banas River near Golera village in the Todaraisingh area of Tonk, but they were later rescued by the SDRF.
In Ajmer’s Dargah area, several people were swept away by the strong water flow, prompting locals to intervene and rescue them.
Ajmer’s Ana Sagar is overflowing as a result of the persistent rain, with locals using sandbags to try to control the flow.
The highest rainfall recorded was 234.0 mm in Nainwa of Bundi district, followed by 230 mm in Merta City of Nagaur, 190 mm in Mangliawas of Ajmer, 180 mm in Nasirabad of Ajmer, and 160 mm in Pratapgarh.
A rapid decline in rain activities across the state is likely from Sunday onwards, but a new wave of heavy rain can potentially return to eastern Rajasthan around July 27-28.
Also read: Heavy rains batter north Kerala; landslide stalls traffic on Bengaluru-Mangaluru NH
More rain in Himachal
An orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued for isolated areas across four to nine out of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh on Monday and Tuesday.
A yellow alert for heavy rainfall in isolated places has also been issued until Sunday by the local Meteorological office.
Thunderstorms and lightning are also anticipated in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur on Monday, and in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Sirmaur on Tuesday.
A total of 141 roads are still closed in the state, while 58 water supply schemes and 28 power distribution transformers were affected as of Saturday evening, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).
In the disaster-hit Mandi district, 94 roads were closed and 33 in Kullu district.
Red alert in Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, a ‘red alert’ for heavy rainfall on Sunday in parts of the Kumaon region has been issued by the meteorological department.
Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar in the Kumaon region are likely to be pounded by heavy rainfall on Sunday.
The department has also issued an ‘orange alert’ for heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in Dehradun, Tehri and Pauri districts in the Garhwal region as well as Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts of Kumaon.
In view of the rain alerts, the district administrations have been asked to take precautions, including controlling the movement of people.
Heavy rain forecast for Kerala too
In Kerala, too, the IMD has issued a “red alert” for downpour five northern districts — Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod — where incessant rains lashed several towns and high-range areas, causing inundation and traffic snarls.
Districts like Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, and Palakkad were placed under an “orange alert” for heavy rainfall.
In light of the rain alerts, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has also issued guidelines on precautions to be taken during emergencies.
Both Wayanad and Kozhikode experienced intense rainfall throughout Friday night, although there was a slight respite on Saturday morning.
District authorities in Kozhikode are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to evacuate people living in high-altitude areas and those near water bodies to safer locations if necessary.
Also read: Heavy rain warning halts Amarnath Yatra from Jammu day after pilgrim’s death
Arunachal lifeline cut off
In Arunachal Pradesh, surface communication at various places in Lower Siang district has been snapped due to continuous rains over the past couple of days.
Incessant rains have snapped the Aalo-Likabali road in several locations since Saturday morning, Likabali Additional Deputy Commissioner Mokar Riba said.
The road, a lifeline for several districts including West Siang, Leparada, Shi-Yomi, and Upper Subansiri, has been blocked by landslide debris in Siji, Yate and near Garu village, he said, adding that the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) has been directed to clear the road.
“Though the NHIDCL has engaged men and machinery, they are facing problems in clearing the road due to continuous downpour,” Riba said.
Wet West Bengal
Vehicular movement on a stretch of National Highway-10 connecting Sevoke in West Bengal and Sikkim’s Rangpo has been temporarily halted due to landslides and rockfall, officials said on Saturday.
Clearance activities are underway on the stretch following landslides at Birik Dara in Kalimpong district of West Bengal, they said, adding that it is expected to reopen within 24 hours.
Owing to monsoon flow and strong moisture incursion, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over north Bengal districts till July 22, the IMD has said.
A low-pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal around July 24, bringing heavy rain in some south Bengal districts next week.
Also read: Floods flip Rajasthan’s arid climate; greening of deserts not good sign, say experts
The sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar and Alipurduar are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till July 22, it said in a bulletin.
The south Bengal districts of South 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur are likely to experience heavy rain from July 23, with light to moderate rainfall in all the other districts of the region, the IMD said.
The weatherman also forecast thunderstorms with gusty winds in Kolkata and some other south Bengal districts on Saturday.
The metropolis received 32.6-mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday, it added.
(With agency inputs)