New Delhi, PTI (Jul 20) The death toll in rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 23 on Monday as heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in the Union Territory, while Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh also witnessed widespread disruptions due to the downpour.
The rise in fatalities comes as the India Meteorological Department has forecast very heavy rainfall at a few places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh on July 20 and 21, and heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Assam and Meghalaya on July 20.
It further said that monsoon is likely to remain active over northwest and northeast India during the next 4–5 days.
The weather office said the active monsoon conditions have been caused by the weakening of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and a strengthening of the monsoon current over north India.
Jammu and Kashmir remained the worst-affected as at least 11 people, including a mother and her two children, were killed in rain-related incidents across Jammu, raising the death toll to 23 over the past two days, officials said.
Seven people remained missing as persistent heavy rains hampered rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit districts of Poonch and Rajouri earlier in the day. Although efforts were intensified as the weather improved, search teams failed to trace the missing persons so far, the officials said.
In a heart-wrenching incident, seven people, including a woman and her two children, were buried alive after a landslide triggered by heavy rains brought down their mud house in the upper reaches of Loran in Poonch, officials said.
They further said that the Jammu-Kishtwar national highway remained blocked as a couple of private vehicles were also hit by boulders in the area. However, the occupants of the vehicles escaped unhurt.
The fresh spell of rain began around 3 am in the twin border districts and continued unabated till the last reports were received, making rescue and search operations difficult in the affected areas, the officials said.
Swollen streams, slippery terrain and poor visibility hindered the movement of rescue teams, who have been racing against time to trace the missing.
In Uttarakhand, landslides triggered by incessant rains blocked around 150 roads, including four national highways, with the administration temporarily suspending the Char Dham Yatra on Monday as a precautionary measure.
The pilgrimage would resume only after the routes are safe and conditions return to normal, officials said.
An eight-year-old child was swept away in the Saryu River in the Kapkot area of Bageshwar district.
The Meteorological Department has issued a ‘Red Alert’ for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Tehri, and Haridwar districts for Monday, and an ‘Orange Alert’ for the remaining districts, they said, adding that the administration across the state has been instructed to remain vigilant around the clock.
In view of the heavy rain warning and to ensure student safety, a holiday has been declared for schools (Classes 1-12) across all districts of the state.
In Himachal, all educational institutions in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur have been ordered to shut on July 21 in view of a red alert issued by the weather department.
The Met office issued a red warning for heavy rains in Chamba, Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur districts on Monday and for Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday. According to the state emergency operation centre, a total of 36 roads, including 11 in Mandi and 10 in Chamba district, have been closed, while 43 water supply schemes and five transformers were disrupted following intermittent rains as of Monday evening. of widespread monsoon activity till July 24
For Uttar Pradesh, the IMD issued a red alert, warning of “extremely heavy rainfall” in several districts over the next 24 hours as monsoon activity intensifies across the state.
The red alert will remain in force for Monday, while a yellow alert has been issued for parts of southern Uttar Pradesh from July 21 to July 25, it said. PTI TEAM KSI
