Rain related incidents in the northern states of India have left 38 people dead. Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters carried dramatic rescue operations in Jammu and Karnal districts on Monday (August 19), and the administration was on alert in parts of Haryana and Punjab
New Delhi: Rain in the northern Indian states claimed at least 38 lives, triggering landslides that stranded hundreds of people in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and left several areas in Punjab, Haryana and Jammu flooded.
Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters carried dramatic rescue operations in Jammu and Karnal districts on Monday (August 19), and the administration was on alert in parts of Haryana and Punjab.
Although rain had subsided across the region on Monday, rivers in several parts of the region were overflowing on Monday. The water level rose above the danger mark in Haridwar and Delhi and the level at Bhakra dam was a foot above the permissible mark.
Three more people were reported dead in Himachal Pradesh where heavy rain over the weekend has caused floods and landslides, increasing the number of dead to 25. In neighbouring Uttarakhand, the number of dead rose to 12 with two more bodies being recovered on Monday.
Cloudbursts have wreaked havoc in a dozen villages of Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, washing away houses and hectares of agricultural land. A 16-year-old boy drowned in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah due to release of water from Kota barrage into Chambal.
The situation in parts of Punjab and Haryana remained grim, prompting the Punjab government to declare the current flood situation in the affected villages of the state a natural calamity.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also announced Rs 100 crore for emergency relief and rehabilitation measures in affected regions. Most rivers in Uttarakhand were overflowing, with the Ganga crossing the danger mark in Haridwar and flowing close to it in Rishikesh.
Three helicopters, including one from the IAF, were pressed into service to take relief material including food packets, rations and essential medicines to people.
In Himachal Pradesh, over 500 people were stranded as several roads were blocked by landslides and flash floods, officials said. The rain has so far caused damage adding up to Rs. 574 crore, according to a state government spokesperson.
Over 10,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas in Delhi as the water level in the River Yamuna crossed the danger mark. According to a Delhi government official, the river was flowing at 205.36 metres, just above the danger mark of 205.33 metres. The official said that the water level is expected to rise further as Haryana released 1.43 lakh cusecs of water at 6 pm on Monday.
The Yamuna flows through six districts of Delhi whose low-lying areas are prone to flooding. The administration has deployed 30 boats to prevent accidental drowning.
A flood-like situation prevailed in many parts of Punjab and Haryana, where the IAF rescued nine people from flooded areas. Many parts were flooded and crops in hundreds of acres were submerged as both the states continued to remain on high alert.
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