An orange alert has been issued in the states of Jharkhand and Uttarakhand which are forecasted to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on August 9 and 10, respectively. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) alert lists localised flooding and landslides as a potential impact of the rains.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday held a virtual meeting with the disaster management teams of different districts regarding the worrisome situation.
Dhami directed officials and local administrators to commence road repair work immediately and provide heli services to pregnant women in disaster-affected areas.
This announcement comes after news broke about a portion of the road between Khumera and Narayankoti getting damaged in a possible landslide. Restoration work is underway, as per ANI. A landslide near Vyasi on the Rishishekh-Badrinath highway has also resulted in traffic disruptions.
A flood-like situation persists in several areas of Uttarakhand including Haldwani where 150 people have been rescued, per the sub-divisional magistrate. State authorities are providing help to those who need it and making food arrangements as well, he said.
An overflowing rivulet in Pauri Garhwal resulted in several people getting stuck. A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was deployed to rescue 15 people stranded in the middle of the river near Maland bridge under the district's Kotdwar police station.
On Tuesday, a three-storey building in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag also collapsed amid heavy rainfall. However, no injuries have been reported so far.
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway blocked due to landslide, Amarnath Yatra halted
Meanwhile, the Amarnath Yatra was halted on Wednesday after a landslide in Ramban caused a blockage on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Restoration work is underway and is expected to be completed by 2 pm, after which traffic from both sides will be resumed.
According to the traffic control room, the landslide hit the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, near Maroog around 3 am.
Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police announced that the national highway was blocked due to a landslide at T2 Marog Ramban. They advised people not to travel on NH-44 without confirmation from traffic control units.
The yatra was suspended for the day from Bhagwati Nagar base camp.
Light rain predicted in Delhi over next 2 days
In Delhi, light rain is expected over the next two days, with Wednesday likely to remain humid despite the forecasted relief. The Safdarjung Observatory, which serves as Delhi's main weather station, recorded a typical minimum temperature of 26.6 degrees Celsius for this time of year.
Temperatures are projected to peak around 35 degrees Celsius. The upcoming days are anticipated to have a generally cloudy sky with occasional light rain.
For the current year, Delhi has already witnessed 762 mm of rainfall, accounting for approximately 99 percent of the average annual precipitation of 774 mm.
In July, the city received 384.6 mm of rainfall, marking the second-highest amount for the month in the last 15 years, in comparison to the normal level of 195.8 mm.
With agency inputs.
First Published: Aug 9, 2023 10:05 AM IST
