India, July 21 -- Heavy monsoon rains continued to batter large parts of north and northeast India on Monday, claiming more lives, triggering landslides and flash floods, blocking highways and disrupting normal life across several states. Jammu and Kashmir remained the worst-hit, where the death toll in rain-related incidents climbed to 23 over the past two days, while Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Assam also witnessed widespread disruption amid forecasts of more intense rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that the monsoon is likely to remain active over northwest and northeast India for the next four to five days. It forecast very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on July 20 and 21, while Uttarakhand, Bihar, Assam and Meghalaya are expected to receive heavy rainfall. According to the weather office, the prevailing conditions have been caused by the weakening of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and the strengthening of the monsoon current over north India.
Jammu and Kashmir bore the brunt of the extreme weather as at least 11 more people, including a mother and her two children, lost their lives on Monday, taking the overall toll to 23. Seven people remained missing in the flood-hit districts of Poonch and Rajouri as rescue teams battled swollen streams, slippery terrain and poor visibility. In one of the worst tragedies, seven members of a family, including a woman and her two children, were buried alive after a rain-triggered landslide collapsed their mud house in the upper reaches of Loran in Poonch district. Rescue operations, hampered by continuous rainfall through the morning, intensified after weather conditions improved, but the missing persons could not be traced till late evening.
Heavy rains also disrupted connectivity in the Union Territory. The Jammu-Kishtwar National Highway remained blocked after boulders rolled onto the road and struck private vehicles. Although the vehicles were damaged, their occupants escaped without injuries. In neighbouring Uttarakhand, incessant rainfall triggered landslides at multiple locations, forcing the closure of nearly 150 roads, including four national highways. As a precautionary measure, authorities suspended the Char Dham Yatra on Monday. An eight-year-old child was swept away in the swollen Saryu River in Bageshwar district. The IMD issued a Red Alert for Dehradun, Tehri and Haridwar districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, while the remaining districts remained under an Orange Alert. Authorities placed the administration on round-the-clock vigil and declared a holiday for schools from Classes I to XII across the state to ensure students' safety.
Himachal Pradesh also faced widespread disruption. The weather department issued a Red Alert for Chamba, Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur districts on Monday, extending it to Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Sirmaur for Tuesday. Educational institutions in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur will remain closed on July 21. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 36 roads, including 11 in Mandi and 10 in Chamba, remained closed due to landslides and debris. Additionally, 43 water supply schemes and five electricity transformers were affected by the persistent rainfall. In Uttar Pradesh, the IMD issued a Red Alert, warning of extremely heavy rainfall in several districts over the next 24 hours. A Yellow Alert has also been issued for parts of southern Uttar Pradesh from July 21 to July 25 as monsoon activity intensifies across the state.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.