The IMD has issued warnings, predicting record rainfall in several regions on Sunday. Meteorologists attribute the extreme weather to the warming of the Indian Ocean, which has created “flying rivers” influencing monsoon rains between June and September.
Flash flood fury in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh experienced severe flash floods and landslides triggered by cloudbursts and heavy downpours. The state saw the closure of 114 roads, and the state road transport corporation suspended bus services on 82 routes. The weather department warned that heavy showers would persist until August 7.
The death toll due to flash floods in the state has risen to nine, with one body recovered from Rajban village in Mandi. About 45 people remain missing after a series of cloudbursts struck Kullu’s Nirmand, Sainj, and Malana; Mandi’s Padhar; and Shimla’s Rampur subdivision on the night of July 31. A total of 410 rescuers from various agencies are involved in the search operations, using drones.
Bridge collapses in Jharkhand
Continuous rains over the past two days have led to flooding, road washouts, uprooted trees, damaged houses, and a collapsed bridge in Jharkhand. The state government ordered the closure of all schools on Saturday. While no deaths have been reported, NDRF teams were deployed in Ranchi on Friday to rescue people from low-lying areas.
Cauvery floods submerge Tamil Nadu district
In Tamil Nadu, Namakkal district remained inundated as the Cauvery River surpassed the danger mark, flooding low-lying areas. Chief minister Stalin announced that 11 relief camps had been set up in the district, accommodating approximately 1,086 people.
Wayanad’s woes continue
In Kerala, the death toll from the Wayanad landslides has surpassed 350. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that search and rescue operations, which began on July 30, are nearing completion, although 206 people remain unaccounted for. Over 1,300 rescuers, heavy machinery, and advanced equipment have been deployed, but large boulders and logs in the residential areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala are hindering efforts.
Tragedy strikes in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh’s Narsinghpur district, relentless rains led to the collapse of a house in a village. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to five other family members.
Maharashtra on high alert
The IMD has issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall in Maharashtra’s Palghar, Pune, and Satara districts for Sunday. An orange alert has been issued for Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Sindhudurg, and Nashik, forecasting heavy rains.
Rajasthan’s record rainfall
Rajasthan also received heavy rainfall, with Kolai Magra in Bikaner district receiving the maximum rainfall of 195 mm. In 24 hours until 8:30 am, Masuda in Ajmer recorded 180 mm of rain, followed by 170 mm each in Beawar’s Nayanagar and Ajmer’s Pisangan, and 150 mm in Mangliawas.
Deep depression drenches West Bengal
In West Bengal, Kolkata and its neighboring districts were lashed by incessant rains as a low-pressure area intensified into a deep depression. Waterlogging was reported in several parts of Kolkata, including the airport, but flight services remained unaffected. The southern districts of Howrah, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas are expected to experience showers over the next 12 hours.
An irrigation department official reported that 36,000 cusecs of water were discharged from Panchet Dam and 70,000 cusecs from Durgapur Barrage following heavy rains. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh accused the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) of discharging water to “engineer a man-made flood” and expressed concern about the potential rise in water levels during high tides next Monday.
(With PTI inputs)