Torrential rain wreaks havoc in north India: Himachal Pradesh drowns, Delhi-NCR braces for more
New Delhi, July 10: As heavy rainfall continues to ravage parts of north India, the region is reeling from the aftermath, with the death toll reaching 19 over the past three days.
Cities and towns are grappling with submerged roads and buildings, with water levels rising up to knee-deep. The meteorological department has issued warnings of further downpour in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi, and neighboring areas in the coming days.
Terrifying visuals of the chaos have circulated online, displaying vehicles floating like paper boats, muddy waters inundating residential areas, structures swallowed by swollen rivers, and instances of land cave-ins. Reports of damage to houses, structures, and disrupted daily life due to landslides and flash floods caused by incessant rainfall have emerged from Himachal Pradesh.
Flash floods in Manali, Kullu, Kinnaur, and Chamba swept away shops and vehicles, with major rivers such as Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Swan, and Chenab overflowing.
Neighboring Uttarakhand also witnessed landslides and flash floods, with water levels in rivers and streams surpassing danger levels.
In response to heavy rainfall and waterlogging, schools in Gurgaon and Delhi remained closed today. The Gurgaon administration has advised corporate houses to implement work-from-home arrangements to prevent traffic congestion.
The Delhi government has established 16 control rooms to monitor flood-prone areas after Haryana released over one lakh cusecs of water from the Hathnikund barrage into the Yamuna river.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair a high-level meeting to address waterlogging in the city and the rising water levels of the Yamuna.
A red alert has been issued for Kathua and Samba districts in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Amarnath Yatra resumed from the Panjtarni and Sheshnag base camps after being suspended for three days.
Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana have also experienced heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread waterlogging and flooding in low-lying areas. Authorities are taking action in the severely affected regions.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the intense rainfall is attributed to the interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds over northwest India.
Also Read: Flood-like situation in Punjab: Authorities order school closure, check details
- With inputs from agencies
