North India Heavy Rain: 5 Killed In Himachal Pradesh, Flash Floods In Uttarakhand, Leh, J&K; Yamuna Breaches Danger Mark — Latest Updates

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that isolated heavy rainfall is very likely in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for next four days. It also said that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely in Gujarat, among other places, till Tuesday.

Outlook, 23 JUL 2023 : At least five people were killed in Himachal Pradesh in two incidents related to heavy rain on Saturday. 

Similarly, heavy rains lashed Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, triggering flash-floods and landslides at multiple locations. 

As heavy rains lashed the upstream regions of Yamuna, the Yamuna water level in Delhi crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Sunday.

After days of respite, parts of India are again witnessing landslides and flash-floods. Flood-like conditions have also occurred in Gujarat's Navsari and Junagadh, which have witnessed heavy rainfall. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that isolated heavy rainfall is very likely in Himachal and Uttarakhand for next four days. It also said that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely in Gujarat, among other places, till Tuesday. 

5 killed in Himachal Pradesh 

Two persons died in a landslide in Shimla and three were killed after they were swept away in a flash flood on Saturday.

The two deceased are identified as a couple, Bhem Bahadur and Sheela, from Nepal who worked as labourers in Kuala village in Shimla's Kotkhai. They were killed when their makeshift house collapsed due to the landslide. 

In another incident, an elderly couple and their grandson were swept away along with their eatery in Badiyara village in Shimla's Rohru village in a flash-flood triggered by heavy rainfall. The flash-flood occurred in Laila rivulet, officials told PTI. Their bodies were found on Sunday. The two elderly grandparents have been identified as Roshan Lal and Bhaga Devi. The grandson has been identified as Kartik.

Cracks develop in Shimla's Khaltu Nullah area 

Following the flash flood, reports of damage to several houses and vehicles in Rohru have started pouring in, said officials. 

Meanwhile, around 30 km from Rohru, one-metre deep cracks developed along the Bazaar Road at Khaltu Nullah in the Kotkhai area here, dividing the market area into two, said Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi to PTI. As the cracks deepened due to incessant rains since Friday evening, 16 members of three families residing in the area were shifted to a safer place, Negi said, adding that an immediate relief of Rs 2,500 has been given to ten families.

#InPhotos | A building collapses in Kotkhai, #Shimla.

(📷: HT Photo) pic.twitter.com/1FyTo0Bi1A

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) July 22, 2023

Following rains at Kotkhai, debris entered a hospital campus in Kotkhai, a retaining wall at the area's main bus stand collapsed, a landslide occurred in front of the police station, and the power line snapped, said ADGP Satwant Atwal in a tweet. 

Since the onset of monsoon in Himachal on June 24, 154 persons have died so far in rain-related incidents, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Emergency Response Centre. The state has suffered a loss of Rs 5,077 crore so far. About 696 roads are closed for vehicular traffic across Himachal, reported PTI, adding that 5,480 incidents of landslides, 14 cloudbursts, and 83 flash floods have been reported since June 24, as per a government statement. 

Wreckage of bus missing since July 10 found, passengers still missing

Almost two weeks after it disappeared, a bus of the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) was found in the middle of the Beas river in Manali on Saturday. However, the 11 passengers of the bus are still missing. 

"We have got a list of 11 missing persons, all hailing from Uttar Pradesh, who were suspected to be in the bus when it was swept away and a search is on to find the missing persons," Kullu Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma told PTI.

The bus could not be taken out due to heavy current in the river, reported PTI, adding that the officers of PRTC had identified the bus which started its journey from Sector 34 in Chandigarh to Manali on July 9 and was swept away in floods on July 10 near Manali.

Heavy rains, cloudbursts damage houses roads in Uttarakhand

Heavy rains and cloudbursts damaged houses and roads at several places in Uttarakhand on Saturday. 

However, no casualties were reported in any rain-related incident, reported PTI.

In Gangnani in Uttarkashi's Barkot tehsil, a few cottages of a tourist resort were damaged due to landslide debris, reported PTI, adding that the debris also entered the premises of Kasturba Gandhi Girls Residential School in Gangnani. However, all the students are safe, said officials to PTI. 

Cloudbursts and landslides also occurred in Chhara Khad in Purola, reported PTI, adding that several vehicles parked on roads were buried under the debris. 

The Yamunotri national highway has been blocked at many places between Barkot and Gangnani due to the landslides, reported PTI, adding that efforts are being made to reopen the road for traffic.

Uttarakhand | The Yamunotri Highway has come to a standstill at many places including Chhatanga, due to which passengers and local people are stranded on the route: Uttarkashi district administration pic.twitter.com/kldUF9XYIJ

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 22, 2023

A landslide also occurred near Dhauntri village, reported PTI, adding that the power supply in the region was disrupted due to the rains.

Cloudbursts triggers flash floods in Ladakh

A cloudburst triggered flash-floods in Ladakh, leading to debris flowing through the main market area and disrupting life. 

However, no loss of life was reported, according to PTI. 

The cloudburst hit the Gangles area of Ladakh late Friday night and left several parts of Leh town inundated, said officials to PTI, adding the debris entered many buildings in the low-lying areas, causing some damage to them.

A cloudburst results in a flash flood in Leh town. The heavy downpour has impacted road connectivity and resulted in water logging in several areas.@YawarShafi4 shares more details with @kritsween pic.twitter.com/ZBGjUCvZAI

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 22, 2023

An official told PTI that the flash-floods have caused some damage to crops, roads, parapet walls and the polo ground in Drass.

Landslides, flash-floods across Jammu and Kashmir 

Heavy rainfall also led to landslides and flash-floods at several places in Jammu and Kashmir, including in areas of capital Srinagar. 

"There were reports of flash floods in Fakir Gujri area in the Srinagar outskirts. Reports of orchards and standing crops getting damaged due to flash floods were received from Kupwara," reported Greater Kashmir.

Hundreds of acres of land was inundated and a house washed away on Saturday as heavy rain led to a flash flood in the Chenab river in Jammu district's Akhnoor area near the  Pakistan border, reported PTI, adding that a rescue operation was launched by the district administration to bring the people, mostly tribals, to safer areas.

"Chenab is overflowing. The bunds around the banks are damaged. It has breached in a few places and is flowing close to villages, so we have come to evacuate people. Situation is under control," Additional deputy Commissioner (ADC), Jammu, Harvinder Singh told PTI, adding that 105 persons have been evacuated from the area in view of the threat of rising water levels.

Yamuna in Delhi breaches danger mark

As heavy rains lashed the regions upstream, the discharge of water into Delhi meant that the Yamuna water level crossed the danger mark on Sunday morning. 

As of 9 am, the Yamuna water level stood at 205.96 metres, well above the danger mark of 205.33 metres. 

The Central Water Commission (CWC) projected the Yamuna water level in Delhi to rise to 206.7 metres by 4 pm.

The Yamuna water level in Delhi rose following a surge in discharge from the Hathnikund Barrage into the river after heavy rain in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, reported PTI. 

Officials told PTI that increase in the water level of the river is expected to impact relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the capital.

According to the CWC data, the flow rate at the Yamunanagar (Haryana)-located Hathnikund Barrage crossed the 1 lakh-mark at 9 am on Saturday and oscillated between 2 lakh and 2.5 lakh cusecs between 10 am and 5 pm, reported PTI, adding that since then, it has remained between 1.5 lakh cusecs and 2 lakh cusecs.

Bhim Singh Rawat, Associate Coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, told PTI that such significant volume to water court cause mid-scale floods in Delhi and the such second round of flooding could cause Yamuna to reclaim its floodplains further.

Rawat told PTI, "This significant volume of water poses a risk of mid-scale floods in the capital, which is still recuperating from one of the worst flood spells it experienced in the second week of July...The second spell of floods will likely see the Yamuna river reclaiming most of its floodplain in Delhi. Given the valuable insights gained from the last flood spell this month, city planners and policy makers must take note of the lessons learned. Citizens are counting on the swift response of authorities, expecting all the gates of the ITO barrage to be opened and fully functional. Additionally, immediate attention should be given to fix any breached sites and bunds."