Rain wreaks havoc across India; 4 killed in Assam, rivers swell in UP, U'khand, Jharkhand

NEW DELHI, Sep 1: Torrential rain unleashed havoc across several parts of the country on Tuesday, killing four people in Assam, pushing rivers above danger levels in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, submerging roads and homes, disrupting trains and forcing schools to shut.

Assam bore the brunt of the rain fury, with four people, including three members of a family, killed in two landslides in Guwahati and several parts of the city inundated following incessant rainfall.

In the Mathgharia area, a couple and their 11-year-old daughter were killed when a landslide flattened their house while they were sleeping. Their 19-year-old son was rescued from beneath the debris and taken to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

In another landslide, a 65-year-old woman was killed after a rock partially damaged her house. Several members of her family suffered minor injuries.

The rain also brought Guwahati to a standstill, with waterlogging reported in Panjabari, RG Baruah Road, Chandmari, Beltola, Borbari and Six Mile. Students and office-goers were forced to wade through knee-deep water on several roads.

Jharkhand was placed on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a flash-flood warning for 10 districts amid heavy rain and swelling rivers.

Dumaria in East Singhbhum recorded a staggering 217 mm of rainfall since Monday, the highest in the state, followed by Dumri in Giridih at 162.2 mm and Mahuadawar in Latehar at 146.2 mm.

The flash-flood warning covers Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega.

The IMD has forecast heavy rain and overcast conditions across the state till September 5 and issued a red alert for very heavy rain in Garhwa, Palamu, Simdega and West Singhbhum, and an orange alert in several other districts.

The rain also pushed rivers into danger mark in Jamshedpur. The Kharkhai and Subarnarekha rivers crossed their red marks following incessant rain and discharge of water from dams in Odisha and Jharkhand.

The Kharkhai at Adityapur bridge rose to 133.10 metres, 4.10 metres above the danger level, while the Subarnarekha touched 122.60 metres against the red mark of 121.50 metres at Mango bridge.

Authorities urged residents of low-lying areas to move to safer locations.

Uttar Pradesh too witnessed a grim rain-and-flood situation, with Lakhimpur Kheri, Varanasi and Chitrakoot among the worst affected. In Chitrakoot, the Mandakini river surged around four metres above the danger mark following heavy rainfall in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, prompting evacuation of affected residents.

Floodwaters submerged several religious sites, including Ramghat and the Nirmohi Akhara, while a bridge connecting Ramghat and Nayagaon was damaged. SDRF and NDRF teams were deployed for rescue operations and Army helicopters were used to evacuate people trapped in floodwaters.

In Varanasi, the rising Ganga spilled into several areas, forcing boats onto inundated lanes and disrupting cremations at the Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats.

The river was flowing at 70.28 metres at 10 am, above the warning level of 70.26 metres and rising at 0.5 cm per hour. Several families living along the Varuna river had already been moved to relief camps.

Authorities in Lakhimpur Kheri shut all schools up to Class 8 as the Sharda river rose. Train services on the Mailani-Nanpara section were also suspended after water seepage was reported between Bhira and Palia stations, affecting around half a dozen trains.

Rain also damaged the Ganga Expressway in Unnao, where a portion of the Prayagraj-bound carriageway caved in, leaving a pit around seven feet deep near the Basiratganj toll plaza. Traffic was diverted and repair work began immediately. It was the second reported road-damage incident on the expressway in the district this monsoon, after another stretch caved in on August 17.

Uttarakhand also came under the grip of heavy rain, with Haldwani recording 192 mm in the last 24 hours.

In Rishikesh, the swollen Bin river flowed over an overflowing causeway, while the Gaula river in Haldwani also witnessed a rise in water levels following incessant heavy rainfall.

The rain also triggered landslips and road subsidence on the Dehradun-Mussoorie highway, where debris and boulders blocked a stretch at Pani Wala Bend near Mussoorie. Repeated landslides and damage to safety nets installed by the Public Works Department narrowed the roadway and disrupted traffic movement.

A red alert was issued for Nainital and Almora, while an orange alert covered most other parts of the state. Authorities in Nainital, Almora and Bageshwar ordered schools from Class 1 to 12 to remain closed in view of the weather warning.

In Dehradun, SDRF personnel carried out a rescue operation early Tuesday after a car was swept away by strong rainwater near Kandoli Bridge on Poundha Road in the Lower Kandoli area under Prem Nagar police station.

In Himachal Pradesh, a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur has been issued till September 3.

Kangra received the highest rainfall at 99.4 mm, followed by Jogindernagar at 54 mm and Murari Devi at 50 mm.

The rain disrupted essential services, with 60 roads closed, 39 water supply schemes affected and 11 power transformers disrupted across the state.

Since the onset of the monsoon on June 30, around 106 people have died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh, while the state has suffered losses estimated at Rs 1,202 crore.

Delhi on Tuesday witnessed light to moderate monsoon showers lashing several parts of the city in the evening, as well as above-normal temperatures, with the two combined leading to increased humidity.

According to the IMD, light to moderate rain is expected in many parts of the city till September 4, with heavy rainfall likely at isolated places.

West Bengal also struggled with heavy rain as a low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal brought intense showers to Kolkata and several parts of south Bengal.

Kalaikunda recorded 51 mm of rain in 24 hours till 8.30 am, while Kolkata received 23 mm and Salt Lake 40 mm. Waterlogging in low-lying areas threw office-hour traffic out of gear, with several roads submerged and commuters facing severe difficulties.

The IMD forecast heavy rain in parts of Gangetic West Bengal till Wednesday morning and in several sub-Himalayan districts till September 4.

In Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rain and swollen rivers and nallahs prompted authorities to shut all schools in Poonch district on Tuesday.

While several states battled an excess of rain, Meghalaya's famed rain-soaked towns of Sohra and Mawsynram experienced an unusually dry August.

The state recorded a 38 per cent rainfall deficit during the month, receiving 359.7 mm against the normal 581.6 mm. East Khasi Hills, home to Sohra and Mawsynram, recorded a 42 per cent deficit.

The August shortfall followed a nine per cent deficit in July, while rainfall in June was near normal. (PTI)