Weather Update: Heavy rains lash many parts of Northern India

Weather Update: In the national capital Delhi, heavy rain continued on 9th July 2023, Sunday. The Safdarjung observatory in the city recorded 106 mm rainfall while Delhi Ridge recorded 65 mm and Ayanagar 44 mm on 9th July 2023, Sunday. Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, the highest in a single day in July since 1982. It was the third-highest single-day rainfall for July since 1958. Delhi Fire Services said, several houses were collapsed in different areas of the city, however, there has been no casualties. The heavy rain has submerged many parks, underpasses, markets and even hospital premises, Shops and caused chaos on the roads.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that all schools in Delhi will be shut for a day on 10th July 2023, Monday in view of warnings from the Meteorological Department and incessant rain over the last two days.

According to Central Water Commission, the water level in the Yamuna River in Delhi is rising and it is expected to breach the danger mark of 205.33 metres on 10th July 2023, Monday.

In the neighbouring Gurugram, the district administration has issued an advisory that all Government and Private Schools including Play schools falling in the district will remain closed on 10th July 2023, Monday. In another advisory, it stated that all corporate offices and private institutions in the district are advised to guide their employees to Work from Home on 10th July 2023, Monday so that traffic congestion can be avoided and repair or restoration of civic amenities can be carried out smoothly by Government agencies.

In Haryana, intermittent moderate to heavy rain continues to lash most parts of the State in the last 48 hours. Continuous rains in Himachal Pradesh and in Haryana have swelled rivers, drains and water bodies of the state. The local administration has issued an alert to people living near rivers and drains to stay alert and take all precautions. As per the Meteorological Department, heavy rains are predicted in the next 24 hours in North, South and South East Haryana. Chief Minister Manohar Lal assured at Government is prepared to deal with any situation.
In Uttar Pradesh, torrential rain has thrown life out of gear in the Western parts of the state. Meteorological Department has predicted more rain in many districts across the state till next week. In Noida also Schools will remain closed on 10th July 2023.

Our correspondent reports that the monsoon is active in the state and the western part of the state received heavy rainfall on 9th July 2023, Sunday throwing life out of gear in many districts.

The torrential rain from last 24 hours has brought back the smile on farmers faces as it is going to be beneficial for many crops, particularly paddy. At least 5 people lost their lives in the state in rain-related accidents. Most deaths occurred due to lightning forcing the state government to issue an advisory regarding do’s and don’t s when lightning strikes.

Heavy rains also disrupted normal life in many cities where reports of wall collapse, road caving in, traffic snarls, water logging, and flash flood coming. Altho people in the eastern part of the state are still waiting for good rain as the monsoon clouds are mostly active in the western part and the areas close to NCR.

In Punjab, the Jalandhar district administration has orders to evacuate people from 50 low-lying and flood-prone villages in Shahkot block as a preventive measure and senior officials have been stationed to keep a close tab on the entire situation. Orders for night patrolling in all flood-sensitive villages falling in the jurisdiction of the Nakodar, Shahkot, Lohian, and Phillaur sub-division in the Jalandhar district have also been issued.

The water level has touched the danger mark in the Ghaggar river passing through Patiala district and the administration has issued orders under section 144 to keep people away from the rivers. Some people were also brought to safer places in the district. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has set up flood control rooms in all the district headquarters of the state.
In Himachal Pradesh, the state has been witnessing rain-related disasters since the onset of the monsoon on 24th June.

Our Correspondent reports that the State Disaster Management Authority has estimated a loss of about 362 crores rupees due to monsoon rains. During the last 36 hours, 6 people have died in rain-related incidents, while about 736 roads including 3 national highways have been blocked.  Apart from this, heavy rains have also affected 1,743 electrical transformers and 138 schemes of Jal Shakti Department.

The State Public Works Department has also canceled the leave of the field staff and deployed 200 dozers and JCBs to clear the roads blocked by landslides. The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert in seven of the total 12 districts of the state. These include Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi districts. Orange alert for heavy rainfall has been issued in Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts and yellow alert has been issued in the Lahaul-Spiti district.

In Jammu and Kashmir, two persons died and one was injured after a passenger bus came under a landslide in the Doda district on 9th July 2023, Sunday. Our Jammu Correspondent reports that the bus came under a landslide triggered by rains at village Bhangroo on the Thathri-Gandoh road. A rescue operation was launched and three trapped passengers were evacuated to Gandoh Hospital where two passengers were declared brought dead.

Meanwhile, amid incessant rains for the last three days, the administration today issued a red alert for the Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu division along with lower catchment areas. The alert was issued in view of the reports coming in from different areas about the water level in rivers and streams crossing the danger mark this morning. The warning was issued as the risk of flood, flash flood increased considerably.  Widespread rain was experienced in Kathua, Samba, and at some places in the Ramban, Doda, and Udhampur districts overnight. More rain is very likely in Kathua, Samba, and some places of Ramban, Doda, and Udhampur districts during the next 12 hours before overall improvement from 10th July. Almost all water bodies, including Chenab, Ravi, Tawi, and Neeru, are in spate and have crossed the danger mark at several places.

The sacred pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji in south Kashmir Himalayas has resumed this afternoon from Panjtarni and Sheshnag base camps via the Pahalgam route after remaining suspended for three days due to inclement weather across the Kashmir region.

Officials said soon after when the skies cleared around the holy cave shrine this afternoon, the Yatra via Pahalgam track was thrown open and the stranded devotees were allowed to proceed further to pay their obeisance at the naturally formed ice-lingam of Lord Shiva at the holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji.

However, the Yatra from the Baltal route is still suspended and has not been thrown open by the authorities because of the slippery road conditions along the route. The Camp Director at Baltal Base Camp Shri Kishori Lal while talking to Akashvani News said the improvement in weather conditions would decide the resumption of the Yatra along the Domail-Baltal track. Meanwhile, no fresh batch of Shri Amarnathji Yatris was allowed towards Kashmir Valley for the second consecutive day today because of the closure of 270 Kms NH 44 Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Panthyal in Ramban Sector.

In Uttarakhand, it has been raining continuously in many parts of the state since this morning. Due to Heavy rains, some state highways and many circuit roads connecting to the villages have been closed for traffic. Meanwhile, The State Meteorological Department has issued a warning of heavy rain with Orange and Red-Alert in all the districts for the next four days. Our correspondent reports that the water level of all major rivers in the state has risen and officials have been put on alert to deal with any kind of disaster.