New Delhi: The death toll of unrelenting rains across north India in the last few days has touched 41, with landslides, flooding, water-logging and related disasters wreaking havoc across states – particularly Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.The extremely heavy rainfall that Uttarakhand is currently witnessing will continue over the state and adjoining Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, July 11, as per the latest statement from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). However, the rains will reduce thereafter. The heavy downpours in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh will also ‘reduce significantly’ from Tuesday, the IMD said.Meanwhile, many northeastern states and Sikkim will also witness extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.4 mm) till July 13, the IMD has warned. It will be a normal monsoon for the rest of the country during this time, while parts of it will be below normal for Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.Rains to reduce significantly over Uttarakhand: IMDThe IMD issued a red alert for Uttarakhand on July 11. This is the second consecutive day that the state is on such a warning, of extremely heavy rainfall amounting to more than 204.4 mm. Between 8.30 am on July 10 to 8.30 am on July 11, the highest rainfall recorded in the state included Rishikesh (31 cm) and Asharori (21 cm) in Dehradun; and 23 and 22 cm of rainfall in Roshnabad and Dhanuri in Haridwar.A moderate flash flood threat was observed over a few watersheds and its neighbourhoods in the meteorological subdivisions of Uttarakhand’s districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi during the last six hours, the IMD statement said. The flash flood threat will persist till 5.30 pm today, July 11, in parts of Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi districts, the IMD has warned.However, the rains in Uttarakhand and adjoining Uttar Pradesh will reduce after July 11, the IMD has said. For July 12, the IMD has issued an orange alert for these areas.Rains in Himachal, Punjab to “reduce significantly”It has also predicted a “significant reduction in rainfall” over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh from July 11.Places that witnessed the highest rainfall over 24 hours (till 8.30 am on July 11) include Chandigarh (21 cm), Behat in Saharanpur district in western UP (21 cm), Sirhind in Punjab (14 cm). Nahan and Jatton Barrage in the district of Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh logged 25 and 24 cm of rainfall respectively, while Kasauli (Solan district) recorded 20 cm of rainfall in 24 hours.Extremely heavy rainfall is likely over northeast India and Sikkim, while heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur over Bihar and Uttar Pradesh till July 13, the IMD said.Bihar is on orange alert (likely to face heavy to very heavy rainfall between 115 to 204 mm in 24 hours) till July 13, as are Sikkim and sub-Himalayan West Bengal till tomorrow. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya are on orange alert on July 11 and 12.However the extremely heavy rainfall will “reduce thereafter” in these areas, it noted. Meanwhile, normal rainfall activity will occur over the country except in Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, which will witness below normal rainfall during the next three days.Some watersheds and their surroundings including Arunachal Pradesh, South Assam and Meghalaya will experience a flash flood risk till 11.30 am tomorrow (July 12), the IMD said.—Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather had said yesterday that this ongoing spell of heavy rains is due to the alignment of three weather systems, the Western Disturbance over the Western Himalayas, a cyclonic circulation over the northwestern plains, and the axis of the monsoon trough running across the Indo-Gangetic Plains.Global warming-led changes in monsoon patterns have made a difference, he added.PTI has reported that flash floods and landslides claimed 18 lives over the past two days in Himachal Pradesh, while nine people died in Punjab and Haryana, seven in Rajasthan and three in Uttar Pradesh in various rain-related incidents.Many rivers in north India, including the Yamuna in Delhi are in spate.Social media has been rife with videos and images of roads entirely inundated, even in the national capital.The Lutyen’s Delhi bungalow behind PMO submerged, Piyush Goyal’s house next door too flooded. Baki dilli ka kya, rain is the equaliser here 😎🤩 pic.twitter.com/Dm8SAhsC14— Nona Walia (@nonawalia) July 9, 2023All underpasses in the city are shut as they are completely flooded .these were only recently made why oh why are we designing our cities the wrong way ? #DelhiRain #designgonewrong pic.twitter.com/c8B8vM800E— Bahar Dutt (@bahardutt) July 8, 2023दिल्ली को झीलों का शहर बनाने के लिए Thank you @ArvindKejriwal ji!#DelhiRain #Delhi pic.twitter.com/Qof7VB8BQU— Netta D'Souza (@dnetta) July 8, 2023A total of 39 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in four north Indian states to tackle the heavy rains and floods, PTI has further reported. Fourteen teams are working in Punjab, a dozen are deployed in Himachal Pradesh, eight in Uttarakhand and five in Haryana.In Himachal Pradesh, arguably the worst-hit, estimated loss to public and private property has already touched Rs 4,000 crore, Times of India has reported. Harrowing footage has emerged of structures being destroyed by overflowing rivers.Beas has been flowing in all its might. Touching unprecedented levels. Swallowing modern concrete structures on its way. Amidst all the destruction what stands intact is this ancient Panchvaktra Temple of Mandi, witnessing just another monsoon. #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/XC6zlz3YKm— Vivek 🇮🇳 (@Vivekizm) July 10, 2023Nature is its own protector; Who permitted these hotels on top of the river in the first place? Location: Manali Aallu #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/RoXxK5Gmzi— Bhavreen Kandhari (@BhavreenMK) July 10, 2023Another bridge #Charaniya Bridge of #Solan district washed away.#HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/yJVuNJf97T— Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) July 10, 2023Note: This article was originally published at 9:07 am on July 11, 2023 and republished at 4:40 pm on the same day.
