Himachal CM urges people to stay indoors, announces helpline numbers; 12 killed
Staff Reporter
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in most parts of north India for next one or two days.
In its weather bulletin, the IMD said a western disturbance prevailed over northern India, leading to an intense spell of rain, including Delhi which experienced the season’s first heavy rain. The weather agency predicted moderate widespread rainfall with isolated instances of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Western Himalayan Region including Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Delhi, and Rajasthan for today.
It said Uttar Pradesh may experience isolated extremely heavy rainfall and heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely from today till 12the July. The weather office has also issued a “red” alert for seven Himachal Pradesh districts after landslides and flash floods blocked several roads in Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Solan.
In the national capital, IMD predicted moderate to heavy rain today and added that light rain is likely to continue till July 15th. In view of the heavy rains that have lashed the national capital and its adjoining regions, schools across Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Faridabad will remain shut today. As per IMD, Delhi received 153mm of rain in the 24-hour period marking the highest recorded rainfall in a single day in July since 1982. This figure surpasses the previous record of 169.9 mm of rainfall in a 24- hour period on July 25, 1982.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to the lieutenant governor of Delhi and enquired about the situation in the wake of the incessant rains. Meanwhile, the Delhi government issued a flood warning yesterday as Haryana released more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna river from the Hathnikund barrage.
Down south, Incessant rains pounded many areas of Kerala and Karnataka as well. The IMD has issued a “yellow” alert in four districts of Kerala — Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.
In the East and Northeast region, the agency predicted moderate rainfall, with isolated instances of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal including Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur over the next five days.
12 killed in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday appealed to people of the state to stay home for the next 24 hours amid the possibility of heavy rains in the state during the period.
“I urge people to unitedly face the difficulty and stay in their homes for the next 24 hours as there is possibility of heavy rains,” the Chief Minister said in a video posted on his Twitter handle. He announced three helpline numbers – 1100, 1070 and 1077 – for help of people who are in difficulty and need assistance.
The Chief Minister said he is available round-the-clock in the service of people and they can also reach him over the phone
He urged MLAs to stay in their constituencies to assist people in case of any difficulty and help them in compensation of any losses.
Sukhu said 14 people have lost their lives due to heavy rains in the state.
Indian Meteorological Department on Sunday issued a red alert for Himachal Pradesh for heavy rains during the day.
The Weather Department also said that the rainfall can cause flooding and landslide.
Sukhu had said on Sunday said that all schools and colleges would remain closed on July 10 and 11.
IMD on Saturday issued a red alert for seven districts of the state and an orange alert for three districts for the next 48 hours as the state continued to receive heavy rainfall.