As the intensity of rains reduced in North India, the focus shifted on rescue and relief operations to deal with the damage that monsoon continues to shower on the residents. Thousands were evacuated in Delhi, where a red alert was sounded after the Yamuna river breached the 208-meter mark on Wednesday night, much earlier than anticipated.
In Himachal, 88 people have lost their lives, 16 are missing and 100 have been injured till date due to the rains. At least 492 animals have also died across the state.
At least have 10 people lost their lives in Haryana till now, as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 Lakh to the kin of the deceased. Another 11 people were killed in neighbouring Punjab, where rescue operations gained pace due to a pause in rain showers.
For the next two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued a “red" alert for Bihar, and an “orange" alert for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand.
Here are the latest monsoon updates
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh, one of the worst affected states by rains, saw several evacuation operations as people continued to remain stranded in areas blocked by landslides.
The weather office has issued a ‘yellow’ warning for heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning on July 15 and 16.
A helicopter of the Indian Air Force has been stationed to airlift tourists stranded at Chandertal in Lahaul and Spiti districts. Around 300 tourits continue to remain stuck in camps at Chandertal.
As many 1,239 roads, including the Shimla-Kalka and Manali-Chandigarh national highways, are blocked due to heavy downpour.
However, a pause in incessant rainfall is helping increasing the efficiency of rescue operations.
Light to heavy rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday with Dhaula Kuan recording 144.5 mm of rainfall, Renuka 87 mm, Reckongpeo 42 mm, Kotkhai 30 mm, Hamirpur 16.5, Shimla 13.5, Dharamshala 13 mm and Kalpa 10 mm.
Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday chaired an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers and requested people residing in the flood-prone areas to move to a safer place as the “lives are most important".
He also assured that the Delhi government has made all the arrangements in the relief camps, including food, toilets and other basic amenities.
In view of this situation, the Delhi Police imposed prohibitory measures under CrPC section 144 in flood-prone areas of the city. This essentially prevents unlawful assembly of four or more people and public movement in groups."
Punjab, Haryana
With six more deaths reported in Haryana and Punjab on Wednesday, the total death toll due to rain-related incidents rose to 21 — 11 in Punjab, 10 in Haryana.
This comes as heavy rains left life out of gear in the two states.
About 14,000 people have been shifted to safer places from waterlogged localities in Punjab’s Patiala, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, SBS Nagar, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts over the last three days, authorities said.
Till now over 1,000 villages of Punjab have been affected, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann closely monitoring the situation.
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday once again requested to people to avoid unnecessary travel in view of incessant rains in the state. The state government also released a helpline for those stranded in the disaster.
“Our government has issued disaster relief numbers to help the people of Uttarakhand who are stranded in different places of the state and in Himachal Pradesh," Dhami said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, three people died after their car fell into the swollen Khoh river at Kotdwar in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, police informed on Wednesday.
Uttar Pradesh
At least 12 people lost their lives due to heavy rains in the state in last 24 hours, Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner said on Wednesday.
With agency inputs
