North India Rain And Floods: Over 40 Killed In Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab; Hundreds Stranded Amid Rescue Efforts — 10 Points

The heavy rains and floods continue to wreak havoc in North and North West India on Tuesday as at least seven more deaths were reported and hundreds of people remained stranded amid ongoing relief and rescue operations. 

With the latest deaths, the death toll across states has crossed 40. Himachal Pradesh remains the worst-affected state with the bulk of people dying and getting stranded amid days of incessant rainfall and rivers in spat. Several bridges have been washed away and over 1,000 roads, including the Shimla-Kalka and Manali-Chandigarh national highways, remain blocked as portions have been washed away or remain blocked with debris. 

In Delhi, thousands of people have been evacuated to safer locations as Yamuna River is flowing above the danger mark and low-lying areas have started getting submerged.

Among the seven deceased reported on Tuesday, four of the latest fatalities were reported in Uttarakhand and the rest in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab, reported PTI.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that rains are likely to reduce in Himachal after Tuesday, but are likely to lash Uttarakhand for the next five days and Uttar Pradesh for next two days. 

Here are the top 10 developments related to heavy rains and floods in North and Northwest India.

1. Hundreds stranded in Himachal, IMD warns of flash-floods

In the worst-hit Himachal, hundreds remain stranded amid ongoing relief and rescue operations. The IMD has said that while rainfall is likely yo reduce after Tuesday, but flash-floods are likely. 

The IMD warned of the possibility of moderate to high flash floods in Shimla, Sirmaur, and Kinnaur districts, reported PTI.

Around 300 people, mainly tourists, are stuck in camps at Chandertal in Lahaul and Spiti district after rain and snowfall in the region. The Indian Air Force (AIR) was roped in to rescue them but the helicopter had to return because of bad weather. 

A rescue team from Kaza has reached Kunzum Top and is just eight kilometres away from the lake, officials told PTI, adding that all the stranded people would be evacuated to safe places by Tuesday night. Officials further said that about 100 people were rescued from different places the state on Monday.

Overall, around 800 people are stranded at Lahul and Spiti districts and in and around Manali, reported PTI.

2. Himachal has suffered Rs 780-crore loss, 72 killed overall: Top official

The worst-hit state of Himachal Pradesh has suffered the loss of around Rs 780 crore since the onset of monsoon on June 24 and the overall death toll in the state has reached 72, said Principal Secretary, Revenue, Onkar Chand Sharma.

Sharma said the financial loss is likely to go up as over 1,000 roads have been damaged, water-supply infrastructure has been affected, and several bridges have been  washed away across the state. 

As many as 1,239 roads, including the Shimla-Kalka and Manali-Chandigarh national highways, are blocked due to heavy downpour over the last three days, according to the state emergency operation centre, with officials further saying that  bus service is suspended on 1,416 routes.

Ashwani Sharma of Outlook reported on Monday that at least eight bridges, including the historic Panchvaktra bridge at Mandi town, have been washed away by thhe raging rivers. All rivers along with their tributaries are in spate in Himachal. Sharma reported that another important bridge at Koku-Nallah connecting Shimla with apple-growing areas of Kotkhai and Rohru also got damaged.

3. Essential supplies hit in Himachal, power out in several areas

As Himachal's roads, power-, and water-infra stands battered by days of incessant rain and floods, the supply of essentials like water has been hit at several places, including the capital of Shimla and popular tourist destination of Manali.

The Chandigarh-Manali and Shimla-Kalka national highways were closed following landslides, caving in of roads and flooding, reported PTI.

Several areas in Kullu and Mandi remained without electricity as 2,577 transformers were disrupted while the water supply was also affected in several areas, including state capital Shimla, as 1,418 water supply schemes have suffered damage, reported PTI, adding that mobile connectivity has also been disrupted.

The PTI further reported that Manali town and the adjoining areas remained cut off for almost a day as roads were blocked due to landslides. 

4. Rains reduce in Punjab and Haryana, dams close to their limits

As rains ebbed in Punjab and Haryana, the authorities as well as commoners joined in relief and clearance works. 

One rain-related death was reported in Punjab on Monday.

The water in the dams has reached close to their limits, reported PTI.

Officials of the Water Resources Department said the water level in Bhakra Dam was 1624.14 feet, while its capacity is 1,680 feet, reported PTI, adding that the water level in Pong Dam was 1,360.04 feet, against its capacity of 1,390 feet, while the water level in Ranjit Sagar Dam was 1712.64 feet, against its capacity of 1731.99 feet.

5. Four killed in Uttarakhand, contact lost with several villages

Four of the seven rain-related deaths were reported in Uttarakhand on Monday. 

The IMD also issued flash-flood alert for the state.

Four pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh died and seven more were injured when a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall buried three vehicles near the Gangnani bridge on the Gangotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district on Monday night, reported PTI.

A bridge over Jummagad river in Chamoli district was washed away, leading to loss of contact with around a dozen villages. The PTI reported that the bridge was located near Jumma village on the Joshimath-Niti highway, about 45 km from Joshimath.

6. Thousands evacuated in Delhi as Yamuna overflows

Thousands were relocated from low-lying regions in Delhi as the Yamuna River crossed the danger mark on Monday and caused flooding in low lying areas. 

Around 37,000 people in low-lying areas in Delhi at risk of flooding, reported PTI. 

The affected people are being shifted to places in the East, North, Northeast, Southeast, Central and Shahdara districts of Delhi where more than 2,700 tents have been arranged for them, said Delhi Water Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj at a press conference.

On Monday, the police said that a 32-year-old parking attendant died while a shop owner was injured after a boundary wall collapsed due to heavy rain in Sunder Nagar area of Delhi.

7. IMD predicts heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh

The IMD forecast says that heavy rainfall is likely over Uttarakhand for the next five days and over UP for next two days.

In Himachal, however, the situation is likely to improve after Tuesday, says the IMD forecast published on Tuesday.

The IMD says, "Light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Uttarakhand during next five days; over Uttar Pradesh during next two days and isolated heavy rainfall thereafter. Isolated heavy rainfall also very likely over East Rajasthan during five days and over Himachal Pradesh on 11th and reduction thereafter. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall also very likely over Uttarakhand and northwest Uttar Pradesh on 11th July."

8. Moderate flash-flood risks in Uttarakhand: IMD

In the next 24 hours, there is a moderate flash-flood risks in Uttarakhand, said the IMD.

In its flash-flood forecast published on Tuesday, the IMD said, "Moderate flash flood risk likely over few watersheds & neighbourhoods of Uttarakhand Met Sub-divisions during next 24 hours. Surface runoff/ Inundation may occur at some fully saturated soils & low-lying areas over AoC as shown in map due to expected rainfall occurrence in next 24 hours."

9. Heavy rain recorded in Rajasthan

Heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded in isolated parts of Rajasthan, which also reported on rain-related death, said officials on Tuesday.

Shivganj in Sirohi district recorded the highest 13-centimetre downpour in a 24-hour period ending on Tuesday morning, said officials to PTI, adding that light to moderate rainfall occurred at most places in the eastern part of the state and at isolated places in the western part during the same period.

The weather office has predicted heavy rainfall in Baran, Bharatpur, Bundi, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Karauli, Kota and Sawai Madhopur districts on Wednesday, reported PTI.

10. Man killed in house collapse in UP

Amid heavy rainfall, a 42-year-old main was killed and his wife and son were injured when their house collapsed in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar.  

Gautam Buddh Nagar has been receiving heavy rainfall for the past few days like many other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighbouring Western Uttar Pradesh, including Delhi and Meerut.

Earlier on Sunday, a 10-year-old girl died when a branch fell on the tin shed of her house in Kaushambi, reported PTI, adding that a woman and her six-year-old daughter were killed in Muzaffarnagar. 

Earlier on Saturday, two were killed and three were injured in separate incidents of lightning strike in Ballia.