Jammu/Kota: Six people were killed in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan as moderate to heavy showers battered parts of northern states including Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, triggering a flood-like situation in several areas and causing damage to roads, bridges and other structures.
Jammu recorded 190.4 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8.30 am Sunday, the second-highest downpour for August in a century. The highest rainfall for August remains 228.6 mm, logged on August 5, 1926, while the previous second-highest was 189.6 mm on August 11, 2022.
Among the eastern states, heavy rain continued to lash Jharkhand, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an alert for more downpour in several districts till Tuesday morning. Major rivers, including Subernarekha, Kharkai, Barakar and Damodar, were flowing above the danger level in various parts of the state.
The IMD also warned of widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms in Arunachal Pradesh till August 28. A flood-like situation prevailed in some low-lying areas near Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers in Odisha, as the water level breached the danger mark following heavy rainfall.
Officials said water levels in major rivers and streams in J&K, including Basantar in Samba, Ujh and Ravi in Kathua, Chenab in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Jammu and Tawi in Udhampur and Jammu, rose sharply, prompting the administration to put disaster response teams and local police on alert.
A bridge near Logate Morh on the Jammu-Pathankot highway was damaged in the middle due to overflowing of Sahar Khad nallah following heavy rains in Kathua district, the officials said, adding that the traffic on the highway was diverted through the alternate bridge.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has directed all departments concerned to remain on high alert amid heavy rains.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties, but the rains have led to waterlogging in many residential areas and triggered landslides in Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region and Gurez in north Kashmir, the officials said.
All government and private schools will remain closed in the Jammu division on Monday owing to the inclement weather, while the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) announced the postponement of class 10 and 11 examinations.
The weather office has forecast moderate to intense rainfall with the possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till August 27.
In Jammu, at least 45 students of the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) were evacuated to safety in a joint operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police after floodwaters submerged the ground floor of the hostel complex, officials said.
Boundary walls of several houses were also damaged, while nearly a dozen vehicles were swept away in the flash floods, the officials said.
In Rajasthan, Bundi, Sawaimadhopur, Tonk and Kota districts were facing flood-like situations where rescue and relief works were underway. Sources said an Mi-17 helicopter has been positioned for rendering aid to flood-affected people in Kota and Bundi areas.
The IAF is standing by for more sorties to offer humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), they said.
The assets are on standby at Kota airfield, a source said.
Four persons, including two government teachers, travelling in a car were swept away by the strong river currents while crossing a lowbridge near Gagron Fort in Jhalawar. Two bodies, stuck on the back seat of the car, were pulled out after a 3-hour operation, while two persons are still missing.
Also, four children drowned when they stepped into a rain-filled mine in Udaipur.
In Kota, a 30-year-old woman died and her husband was critically wounded in Sultanpur town when the ceiling of the room they were sleeping in fell on them, amid incessant rains over the last few days.
Heavy to very heavy rain continued in various parts of the state in the last 24 hours, with Dausa recording the highest rainfall at 29 cm, officials said on Sunday.
Low-lying areas were inundated, disrupting road and rail connectivity in eastern Rajasthan, which has received the most rain, and several villages have been cut off due to waterlogging. The torrential rains prompted authorities to evacuate hundreds of people to safer areas.
On Sunday, there is a strong possibility of heavy to extremely heavy rain in parts of Jaipur, Bharatpur, Bikaner and Ajmer divisions.
Roads in many parts of Rajasthan capital Jaipur were submerged, with water levels reaching knee height. Given the heavy rain forecast, District Collector Jitendra Soni has ordered all government and private schools to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday.
In Nagaur, several localities were waterlogged. Flood relief and rescue teams remained on the ground and assisted affected residents. Schools and Aanganwadi centers in Nagaur have also been closed on August 25 and 26 as a precautionary measure.
Power outages were also reported in several areas due to faults in transformers and power lines.
In Udaipur, water entered a section of the Maharana Bhupal Singh Hospital late on Saturday.
The weather centre has predicted that the heavy rain may continue in some areas of the state for the next three to four days.
Rain also lashed Chandigarh, several parts of Punjab and Delhi and a few places in Haryana on Sunday.
A total of 484 roads, including two national highways, are closed for vehicular traffic in Himachal Pradesh as moderate to heavy rains continued to lash parts of the state, officials said.
The state received 662.3 mm average rainfall during the current monsoon season from June 1 to August 24, against an average of 571.4 mm, an excess of 16 per cent.
“245 roads were closed in Mandi district and 102 in adjoining Kullu. National Highway 154A (Chamba-Pathankot) and NH 305 (the Aut-Sainj road) are also closed,” the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) here said.
The local meteorological office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain in isolated areas of two to seven districts in the state till August 30.
Moderate to heavy rains lashed several parts of the state since Saturday night with Pandoh recording the highest rainfall of 123 mm, followed by 105 mm in Kasauli, 104.6 mm in Jot, and 100 mm in Mandi and Neri.
Since the onset of monsoon on June 20 in Himachal Pradesh, at least 155 people have died in rain-related incidents and 37 have gone missing, the SEOC informed.
Rescue and relief work continued on a war footing on Sunday at Tharali in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, where incessant rain wreaked havoc a day before, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visiting the affected area to take stock of the situation.
A 20-year-old woman died while a 78-year-old man went missing on Saturday after heavy overnight rain in Tharali sent a rain drain flooding, depositing debris at several houses and markets in the area, officials said.
Nine people were left injured, out of which six were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh by a helicopter in view of their critical condition, they said.