New Delhi, Aug 26: Relentless rains pounded large parts of northern India on Tuesday, causing havoc in the Himalayan region that witnessed landslides, inundation of low-lying areas, and washing away of several roads and bridges.
A landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday afternoon killed at least six people, while several were feared trapped. Also, four people were killed in Jammu’s Doda district in separate rain-related incidents.
The downpours led rivers originating from the Himalayas and rivulets to flow in spate. Dams and barrages had to release copious amounts of water, compounding the flood situation in the downstream areas, especially Punjab.
Inclement weather and the forecast of no let-up in the situation in the next few days forced the closure of schools in Punjab and the Jammu region.
The hill state of Himachal Pradesh, already reeling under the devastation caused by multiple landslides and flash floods, saw shops being washed away, buildings collapsing, and highways cut off. A total of 680 roads were closed in the state, with Mandi and Kullu districts being the most affected.
Twelve flash floods, two major landslides and one cloudburst have been reported in the past 24 hours in the state since Monday evening.
The water level of the Beas river rose further on Tuesday after 20,000 cusec of water was released from the Largi Dam. Its gushing waters washed away a 200-metre stretch of the Manali-Leh highway, closing the route and leaving tourists stranded.
The national highway connecting Chandigarh and Manali was also damaged at several places in Himachal Pradesh. Authorities have advised people to stay away from the riverbanks and landslide-prone areas.
Rains caused heavy traffic congestion and waterlogging in many areas of the national capital, disrupting normal life. August has emerged as the wettest month of the year so far in Delhi, with rainfall around 60 per cent above the normal.
In the Jammu region, over two dozen houses and bridges were damaged while almost all water bodies were flowing above the danger mark, submerging a number of low-lying areas and roads.
As many as 18 trains to and from Katra, Udhampur and Jammu railway stations were cancelled, while call and mobile internet outages were reported across all service providers in Jammu and Kashmir as optical fibres got damaged due to the calamity.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the situation in many parts of the Jammu division was “quite serious”.
Inclement weather in the Jammu region forced the suspension of the recruitment drive for the post of constable in different security agencies on Tuesday, while all schools have been ordered to remain closed till August 27. Pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine has also been suspended.
Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar and Kishtwar-Doda national highways was suspended, while dozens of hilly roads were blocked or damaged by landslides or flash floods.
Reports of damage to public and private infrastructure were also received from high altitude areas of Kishtwar, Reasi, Rajouri, Ramban and Poonch districts.
Officials said the overflowing Modhopur barrage has crossed the one lakh cusec mark and is rising, triggering heavy flooding in several low-lying areas along the Ravi river in Kathua district.
Water levels in the Taranah river, Ujh river, Maggar Khad, Sahar Khad, and their tributaries in Kathua, Basenter in Samba, Tawi and Chenab in Jammu are rising and have already crossed the danger mark.
Most parts of the Kashmir region were lashed by rain. The water level in the Sheshnag Nallah in the Betaab Valley of Pahalgam breached its all-time highest level of 5.68 feet and was flowing at 6.02 feet, officials said.
According to officials, the sudden rise in the water level in the stream suggests that a cloudburst or very heavy rainfall might have occurred in the upper reaches of the region.
In Punjab, incessant rains for the past two days worsened the flood situation in Kapurthala district, while people have started evacuating in Ferozepur, especially from villages along the river areas.
The Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, and seasonal rivulets were in spate because of heavy rainfall in their catchment areas and release of surplus water from the Pong and Bhakra dams.
For the past two days, 45 mm of rain has been recorded in Ferozepur district.
The situation in the city area is equally worrying, with several roads submerged, causing major inconvenience to commuters. (PTI)
