A severe warning has been declared for six districts within Uttarakhand, indicating a critical situation. Intense rainfall has caused significant water accumulation in Rishikesh, a part of Uttarakhand.
Tragically, a cloudburst in Jadon village of the Kandaghat subdivision in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan resulted in the loss of at least seven lives on Monday morning. This sudden event also led to the destruction of two houses and a cowshed, which were swept away by the force of the incident.
Across several districts in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released red alerts on Sunday. Anticipated are substantial showers in specific regions of both Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Through a statement released on Sunday, the IMD Uttarakhand conveyed a strong probability of heavy rainfall ranging from very heavy to extremely heavy, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. These weather conditions are to predominantly affect isolated areas within Dehradun, Pauri, Tehri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar within the next 24 hours.
Latest news regarding rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand:
- The IMD Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, stated that parts of Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Una, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti were likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
- Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tweeted on Monday, “Devastated to hear about the loss of 7 precious lives in the tragic cloud burst incident at Village Jadon, Dhawla Sub-Tehsil in Solan District.
- In the wake of continuous and unrelenting rainfall on Monday, a rather unfortunate incident occurred that marked the collapse of the construction of the Dehradun Defence College situated in the picturesque region of Maldevta, nestled within the state of Uttarakhand. The incident stands as a stark reminder of the power that nature wields and its capacity to disrupt human endeavours even in the most unexpected ways..
- According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) report, Himachal Pradesh encountered substantial levels of rainfall within the span of 24 hours concluding at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. The recorded rainfall measurements for Kangra were 273 mm, Shapur (AWS) witnessed 231 mm of rain, Mandi (AWS) recorded 124.5 mm of rain, Shimla (AWS) received 108.5 mm of rain, and Sundernagar recorded 168 mm of rainfall.
- A high-level alert has been activated for six districts in the state of Uttarakhand, signifying the severity of the situation. The persistent heavy rainfall has caused significant issues, leading to instances of waterlogging in various regions of Uttarakhand, including the notable town of Rishikesh. Meanwhile, the incessant rainfall witnessed in Himachal Pradesh over the preceding 24-hour period has resulted in a series of landslides and the subsequent obstruction of several key roadways. Notably, the Shimla-Chandigarh road, a crucial route, has been forced to halt its operations for both buses and trucks due to the unfavourable conditions triggered by the unending downpour.
- As per an official, the toll of rain-related deaths has increased to 52 while another 37 people have been injured in Uttarakhand. Rainfall has caused landslides and flash floods in most places.
- Within Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, a number of vehicles have become entangled beneath the debris originating from a hillside in Mayapur, situated along the Badrinath highway. Himanshu Khurana, the District Magistrate of Chamoli, informed the news agency ANI, stating, “Vehicles have been engulfed by the debris, yet there have been no reports of any casualties as of now.
- The state of Uttarakhand has suffered damages of approximately ₹650 crores due to the monsoon it has received.
- Specialised teams from both the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) have been strategically dispatched to regions within Uttarakhand that have been severely ravaged by unrelenting rainfall. Additionally, as a proactive measure, two helicopters are being kept on standby in areas susceptible to disasters. This readiness signifies a concerted effort to swiftly respond to any emergent situations that might arise due to the relentless monsoon conditions.
- Ongoing heavy rainfall has led to the persistence of a flood-like scenario in the Balh Valley, located within Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district. Numerous tourists find themselves marooned due to these circumstances. In response, the Himachal Pradesh police have released a guidance notice to residents, urging them to refrain from unnecessary travel, particularly during the night in areas prone to landslides and rockslides, which might not be readily detectable.
The unceasing downpour experienced in Himachal Pradesh over the preceding 24 hours has resulted in occurrences of landslides and the consequent blockage of various roads. This includes the suspension of travel along the Shimla-Chandigarh road for both buses and trucks.