Heavy rains trigger landslides, flash floods in Himachal, U’khand, Northeast

Landslides and flash floods have hit parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and northeastern states due to heavy rains, leaving roads blocked and people stranded.

Flash floods have claimed lives and washed away vehicles in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. Incessant rains have also affected cultivation in Punjab.

3 FEARED DEAD AFTER BEING WASHED AWAY IN FLASH FLOOD IN HP’S CHAMBA

Three people, including a woman, were feared dead after being washed away in a flash flood triggered by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district on Sunday, officials said. State disaster management director Sudesh Mokhta said Konata Devi and Surender, both residents of Dharedi, and Khodi village-resident Roshan Lal were washed away in the flash flood that took place at Bakani in Dhimla gram panchayat. Besides eight foot bridges and a cowshed were also washed away in the flash flood, he added. Rains lashed several parts of Punjab and Haryana, leading to a dip in the temperature, the weather office said on Sunday. According to the Meteorological Department, several places in the two states, including their common capital Chandigarh, received a heavy downpour in the 24-hour period ending 8:30 am on Sunday.

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83 TOURISTS STUCK IN HIMACHAL’S TRIUND RESCUED

Over 80 tourists who were stranded amid heavy rains at the Triund hill station in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Sunday, officials said. SDRF director Sudesh Mokhta said 83 people were rescued from Triund in the Dharamshala subdivision after getting information from one of the stranded tourists. Mokhta said a person named Abhinandan Kalia said 11 tourists, including six women, from Punjab were stuck in Triund.

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Authorities clear roads after landslides in Himachal Pradesh. (Photo: PTI)

LANDSLIDES BLOCK KEY ROAD CONNECTING TAWANG, 3 VEHICLES WASHED AWAY

Landslides triggered by incessant rains snapped road connectivity between Bhalukpong and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, officials said. Three vehicles, including an oil tanker, were washed away by mud slips on Saturday evening, Bhalukpong police station officer-in-charge D Bagra said. The vehicles were swept away when they were crossing block point at 46 km Point near Lumum waterfall, he said, adding that the drivers of the vehicles escaped unhurt.

RAINS AFFECT 1.35 LAKH HECTARES OF FARM AREA IN PUNJAB

Incessant rains have impacted around 1.35 lakh hectares of farm area in Punjab, with one to two per cent of the affected areas likely to suffer damage to Kharif crops, especially paddy and cotton, an official said on Sunday. Untimely rains have been lashing several parts of Punjab and Haryana at a time when paddy, which is the main Kharif crop, is ready for harvest. Paddy procurement will start from October 1.

IMD PREDICTS HEAVY RAINFALL IN PARTS OF BIHAR, BENGAL, ODISHA, NORTHEAST

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall and thunderstorm in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and the Northeast over the next 48 hours.

The Met office said, “A cyclonic circulation lies over north Punjab and neighbourhood in lower to mid-tropospheric levels. A trough runs from cyclonic circulation over north Punjab and neighbourhood to southeast Bihar across Uttar Pradesh in lower tropospheric levels,” adding the effects of western disturbance.

SOUTHWEST MONSOON IS LIKELY TO RETREAT FROM DELHI SOON

The southwest monsoon is likely to retreat from the national capital and neighboring areas by the weekend, weather forecasters said on Sunday. An anti-cyclone will establish over southwest Rajasthan after 24 hours and northwesterly winds will commence in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi which will lead to a drop in moisture content in the atmosphere, they said. “Thereafter, the conditions will become favourable for further withdrawal of the monsoon in the next two-three days. We expect the monsoon to retreat from Delhi by September 30-October 1,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather.

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