Weather News LIVE Updates: Himachal Rains Cause Extensive Damage, Yamuna Crosses Danger Mark in Delhi, Yellow Alert On

Mumbai has received 31.17 per cent of the annual average rainfall of 2,547 mm till Monday morning, as per the city civic body’s monsoon report. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Mumbai centre declared the onset of monsoon in the country’s financial capital on June 25, late by about a fortnight.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) report, the IMD Mumbai has recorded 1,043.8 mm rainfall at its Santacruz observatory (representative of suburbs) and 658.7 mm rainfall at the Colaba observatory (representative of the island city) in the last 15 days.

The downpour recorded at the Santacruz observatory is 37.49 per cent of the average annual rainfall of 2,784 mm and the figure at the Colaba observatory is 28.52 per cent of the average rainfall of 2,310 mm, according to the report.

Yamuna crossed the warning level at 1 pm. Yellow Alert is on now. The water level at 1 pm- was 204.63, while the danger mark is 205.33 metres.

The Yamuna in Delhi is likely to cross the danger mark around 11 am on Tuesday as a large quantity of water is being discharged into the upper reaches of the river, Delhi minister Atishi said on Monday.

The Public Works Department minister, who inspected the preparedness for evacuation and relief work, said water is rushing in the Yamuna towards Delhi very fast due to very heavy rainfall in north Indian states.

“Around 43,000 cusecs of water was being discharged into Yamuna from Haryana till yesterday morning that has increased to nearly three lakh cusecs now. We expect the level of water in Yamuna to reach danger mark around 10-11 am on Tuesday,” she told PTI.

Twenty people stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s tourist town of Manali were rescued but about 300 others were stranded across various parts of the hill state as heavy rain wreaked havoc for the third day on Monday.

The state is bracing for another day of downpour with the meteorological department issuing a “red” alert for “extremely heavy rain” on Monday, a day after heavy rain pounded the state, triggering landslides, damaging houses and leaving several people dead.

Using anchored rope, harness and crane, a team of the 14th battalion of the NDRF rescued six people stranded in Nagwayin village due to the rise in the water level of Beas River in a late-night operation on Sunday, officials said.

“Delhi received 153 mm of rainfall between 8th and 9th. For the first time in 40 years, Delhi saw such rainfall. Delhi’s system is not designed to cope with so much rain. Therefore people were inconvenienced,” said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

“There are two factors in assessing whether there is a threat of flood. One is the rainfall in Delhi and the second is the rains in Himachal and the water released from Hathnikund. We are in touch with CWC…According to weather prescriptions made by experts, it is not likely that there will be a flood in Delhi. If the water in Yamuna crosses the 206 mark, we will begin the process of rehabilitation. 680 pumps of PWD, 326 temps, and 100 mobile pumps are pumping out the water,” he added.

“PM Narendra Modi spoke to senior Ministers and officials, and took stock of the situation in the wake of excessive rainfall in parts of India. Local administrations, NDRF and SDRF teams are working to ensure the well-being of those affected,” the prime minister’s office said in a tweet. 

The Congress on Monday urged the Centre to provide additional relief to Himachal Pradesh under the PM CARES Fund as the state was lashed by heavy rain for three straight days. Taking to Twitter, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Due to deaths of many people due to excessive rains in the states of North India is sad and painful. Talked to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Relief operations have picked up pace in the state and every effort is being made to evacuate the people of the rain-hit areas to safety, despite the inclement weather. SDRF and NDRF teams are doing this work.

“Appropriate compensation will be given to the victims and all possible help will be provided to compensate for the loss of life and property. We have instructed all the Congress MLAs to help the affected people in their respective areas in every way. All Congress workers are requested to contribute to the relief,” he said

“Urge the Central government to make available an additional relief amount from the PM CARES Fund for Himachal Pradesh and other states. Our thoughts are with those affected during this difficult time,” he added

Over 250 tourists have been stationed in nearby places in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district amid snowfall in the region after torrential rains hampered the clearing of massive landslides that snapped road links, rescuers said on Monday.

Nearly 200 were evacuated on Sunday from the glacial-fed Chandertal or moon lake area in Spiti Valley after being stranded for two days. They have been stationed in hotels and government accommodations by the local administration.

Likewise, the motorists, comprising tourists and locals in two state-roadways buses, have been stuck after a flashflood in the Pagal nullah near Sissu village in the Lahaul Valley. The flashflood has blocked the Manali-Leh highway.

Over 250 tourists have been stationed in nearby places in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district amid snowfall in the region after torrential rains hampered the clearing of massive landslides that snapped road links, rescuers said on Monday.

Nearly 200 were evacuated on Sunday from the glacial-fed Chandertal or moon lake area in Spiti Valley after being stranded for two days. They have been stationed in hotels and government accommodations by the local administration.

Likewise, the motorists, comprising tourists and locals in two state-roadways buses, have been stuck after a flashflood in the Pagal nullah near Sissu village in the Lahaul Valley. The flashflood has blocked the Manali-Leh highway.

Several parts of Punjab are heavily flooded due to torrential rain.

A hotel washed away in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali in flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the state.

Heavy rains severely lashed the states of Himachal Pradesh, washing away bridges, roads, vehicles and even shops in some parts. Uttarakhand, too, is receiving torrential rainfall.

Many bridges and even Highways were washed away by the strong current of water. Several Twitter users took to the platform and shared terrifying visuals of the effects of flash floods and extremely heavy rains. READ MORE

Punjab | Portion of a building in Mohali collapsed due to heavy rain. Details awaited.

The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the third consecutive day on Monday with agencies making efforts to ensure early restoration of the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, officials said.

The highway was closed for vehicular traffic on Saturday following incessant rains that triggered multiple landslides and also severely damaged a portion of the road near Panthiyal Tunnel and Chamba-Seeri in Ramban district, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded.

“Barring the Chamba-Seeri stretch where a 60-metre strip of road was washed away, the highway is almost clear of all hurdles and is traffic-worthy,” a traffic department official said.

Rains battered parts of Punjab and Haryana for the third consecutive day on Monday with authorities working round the clock to reach out to people in the worst-hit places in hours of crisis.

According to the meteorological department, it has been raining in many parts of Punjab and Haryana since morning.

In view of the prevailing situation caused due to incessant rains, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar cancelled all his pre-scheduled programmes for the day and summoned an emergency meeting of senior officials of various departments, including Home, Disaster Management and Urban Local Bodies, officials said.

“All rescue operations of stranded people have been completed and lakhs of people have been evacuated to safer places from the river beds. I have been personally monitoring the situation through the whole night. Now we have started working on restoration of roads & highways,” tweeted Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi says, “There has been unprecedented heavy rainfall in the past 3 days…This has caused massive damage, especially to the infrastructure, roads, drinking water facilities, fields of farmers as well as houses…Nine people died in 3 days; around 250 houses damaged. Several roads affected and numerous landslides reported…”

Delhi’s PWD Minister Atishi says, “…As per our calculations, it seems that by tomorrow morning, the water level of river Yamuna will cross the danger mark. We are monitoring the flow of water in case the rainfall continues…It is expected that the river will cross the danger mark tomorrow, at Old Yamuna Railway Bridge. Announcements have been made, & people living in flood plains are being evacuated. Boats have been stationed & they have proper rescue equipment. Arrangements are being made for people who have been evacuated…CM has called a review meeting today.”

Following incessant rainfall in Delhi for the past two days, the water level of river Yamuna inches closer to the warning level. At 8 am, the water level of the river was recorded at 203.33 metres at Old Railway Bridge. The warning level of the river is 204.50 metres.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar cancelled all his pre-scheduled programmes to call an emergency meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review the situation in the state due to heavy rainfall.