Jammu/Shimla, July 21: Landslides and torrential rains wreaked havoc in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, leaving four people, including a 5-year-old, dead and several injured on Monday.
In the Reasi district of J-K, a 70-year-old pilgrim was killed and nine others were injured when a massive landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine.
Officials said a booking office and an overhead iron structure caved in under the weight of the landslide, triggered by heavy rains that lashed Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine atop Trikuta hills.
According to the meteorological department, Katra town recorded 184.2 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Monday.
A landslide triggered by heavy overnight rain in J-K’s Poonch district hit a government school, claiming the life of a student and injuring five people. Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the loss of life.
Another landslide had blocked the new track near Himkoti Sunday night, and efforts are ongoing to restore it.
A police officer was injured after his car was hit by a landslide in Jammu.
In Himachal Pradesh, a newly married couple in Chamba district was killed after a boulder fell on top of a house in Sutanh village.
Normal life was disrupted as heavy rainfall triggered landslides, blocked 401 roads, and forced the closure of educational institutions.
The state’s meteorological department has issued a ‘red’ alert for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in five of the 12 districts of the state, including Shimla, Kangra, Chamba, Sirmaur, and Mandi.
Authorities announced on Monday morning that schools in several subdivisions across four districts would remain closed due to landslides and road blockages following heavy rains.
Educational institutions were closed in Theog, Rohru, Jubbal, Chopal, and Kumarsain in Shimla district; Thunag and Karsog in Mandi district; Ani in Kullu district; and Shillai in Sirmaur district.
Of the 401 affected roads, 242 are in disaster-hit Mandi district.
Since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, 72 people have died and 34 have gone missing in rain-related incidents across the state. Himachal Pradesh has also experienced 34 flash floods, 22 cloudbursts, and 21 landslides this monsoon season, resulting in losses of approximately Rs 1,235 crore, the department said.
In Delhi, rainfall was reported in a few areas, with the IMD warning of light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in isolated parts of the national capital during the night.
According to the IMD, the Ridge area received the highest rainfall of 29.6 mm between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., while Pragati Maidan and Pusa recorded 1.7 mm and 1 mm, respectively, during the same period. Trace rainfall was observed at Lodhi Road and Palam.
In West Bengal, the IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in some districts of south Bengal from July 23 to 27, owing to the likely formation of a low-pressure area over the north Bay of Bengal on July 24.
The south Bengal districts of South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, and Hooghly are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall during this period.
In north Bengal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar are expected to receive heavy rainfall between July 25 and July 27.
The IMD forecast light to moderate rain in other districts of West Bengal until July 27.
In Karnataka, the IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rain for the next 24 hours in parts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts.
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai overnight, causing waterlogging in some low-lying areas and slowing vehicular movement.
The rain intensity reduced since early morning in the city, but most parts of the eastern and eastern suburbs continued to receive heavy downpour. The Andheri subway (in the western part of Mumbai) was closed for traffic due to water accumulation.
An Air India plane from Kochi veered off the runway at the Mumbai airport on Monday morning. An airline spokesperson said that the flight experienced heavy rain during landing, resulting in a runway excursion after touchdown.
For the next 24 hours, the IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky with moderate spells of rain in Mumbai and the suburbs, with the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds at isolated places.
In Andhra Pradesh, the IMD forecast heavy rainfall in isolated areas from July 21 to 27.
It also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) on July 21, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 50 kmph.
“Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, SCAP, and Rayalaseema,” said a release from the Meteorological Centre in Amaravati.
Additionally, a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the north Bay of Bengal around July 24, which could intensify rainfall activity in the coming days, the release added. (PTI)
