Floods updates: Toll in rain-related incidents rises to 25 in Himachal; Fadnavis says Maharashtra govt will seek extension to file I-T, GST returns

NH3 blocked between Manali and Kullu

In Himachal Pradesh, National Highway (NH) 3 blocked between Manali and Kullu at Seubag after heavy boulders fell on the road.

Himachal Pradesh: National Highway (NH) 3 blocked between Manali & Kullu at Seubag after heavy boulders fell on the road. pic.twitter.com/p6rYYG0uiZ

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Rains likely to continue in J&K, Himachal till tomorrow

Skymet Weather has predicted that Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh will continue to receive rain and thunderstorm on Monday. The weather is expected to become “almost dry” on Tuesday.

Will ask Sitharaman to extend deadline to file I-T, GST returns, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that he will ask Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to extend the deadline to file Income Tax and GST returns, in view of the rains and flood situation in the state.

Fadnavis announces measures to compensate farmers in flood-hit regions

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Loans on flood-affected crops, up to 1 hectare, will be waived or will be paid by the state government. Those who had not taken any loan will be compensated with triple the amount of normal compensation for the crops.”

Rainfall data from 1 June till date

Death toll rises to 25 in Himachal, more rain predicted

The death toll in Himachal Pradesh rose to 25 on Monday with three more people losing their lives due to the rains, which the weather office predicted will continue over the next 24 hours.

Heavy rains have lashed the state since Saturday, causing floods, collapsing houses and triggering landslides that have stranded hundreds of people. The rains have so far caused damage adding up to Rs 574 crore, according to a state government spokesperson.

PTI

Damaged houses will be rebuilt under PM Awas Yojana, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that houses damaged due to floods will be re-built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. The state government will provide financial help of Rs 24,000 for rented accommodation in rural areas and Rs 36,000 in urban areas, he said.

Yamuna water level at 205 metres

The water level of Yamuna River has reached 205 meters. The warning level is at 204.5 metres.

Delhi: Due to rising water-level of Yamuna river, vehicle movement on 'Loha Pul' (old iron bridge) over the river has been stopped. The water level has reached 205 meters (the warning level is at 204.50 meters). pic.twitter.com/dYjABfWdn3

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Punjab announces Rs 100 crore for emergency relief measures

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced Rs 100 crore for emergency relief and rehabilitation measures in the flood-hit regions of the state.

Light rains likely over Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad for next 2-3 hours

Skyment Weather said that light rains are expected over Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram during next 2-3 hours.

Passing shower or short spell light rain will occur over #Delhi, #Noida, #Ghaziabad, #Faridabad, #Gurugram during next 2-3 hours. #DelhiRains

— Skymet (@SkymetWeather) August 19, 2019

Amarinder Singh visits IIT Ropar to assess damage due to floods

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh visited IIT Ropar earlier on Monday to assess the damage due to floods. “We are making arrangements for transportation of students and their board and lodging in Kisan Bhawan, Chandigarh. Have deputed divisional commissioner to coordinate the relief work,” he tweeted. Heavy rains in the region led to flooding of River Satluj, submerging parts of IIT Roorkee campus and nearby villages.

Visited IIT Ropar to see the damage due to floods in Satluj. Met the Director & students. We are making arrangements for transportation of students and their board & lodging in Kisan Bhawan, Chandigarh. Have deputed Divisional Commissioner to coordinate the relief work. pic.twitter.com/Rfn5jfSssU

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) August 19, 2019

Delhi Traffic Police announces shutting of Yamuna bridge for vehicular movement

Delhi Traffic Police said on Twitter that the deputy magistrate has shut the iron bridge over Yamuna River for vehicular movement in view of the possibility of the river level rising by Monday evening.

Traffic Alert

आज शाम तक यमुना का जलस्तर और बढने की संभावना के कारण Deputy Magistrate ने यमुना नदी का लोहे वाला पुल दोनों तरफ से बंद कर दिया गया है I

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) August 19, 2019

Maharashta’s Kolhapur, Sangli limp back to normalcy after floods

Hundreds of submerged sugarcane farms, damaged houses with only sludge inside, decomposed animal carcasses lying around with people struggling to clean their dwellings to get on with life — this is the scene in several flood-ravaged villages of Sangli and Kolhapur.

Heavy rains and floods battered several areas of western Maharashtra and Konkan region earlier this month, with Kolhapur and Sangli districts bearing the maximum brunt.

IAF says rescue op in Jammu was ‘successful’ and efficient

Sandeep Singh, IAF chief operations officer in Jammu, after the security forces rescued four people in the district after the Tawi river began to overflow. He said, “We received information at 12 pm that some people needed to be rescued, and by 12.29 pm, the helicopter was here. Our Garud Commandos went down and put a hook on the fishermen, and four people were rescued in a short span of time, the operation was successful.”

Rescue ops resume in Uttarakhand after bad weather hampered efforts yesterday

Uttarakhand reeled under a flood-like situation on Monday after several rivers like the Beas were in spate in the state. Search and rescue operations were hampered on Sunday due to bad weather even as at least three people were killed in rain-related incidents.

On Monday, rescue and relief operations resumed the state police, ITBP, PAC and SDRF personnel being involved in the exercise. “Amid relatively clear weather in the affected area with three helicopters, including one from the IAF, pressed into service to take relief material including food packets and essential medicines to people,” News18 reported.

Delhi govt prepares for flood-like situation as Yamuna crosses danger mark

The Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi on Monday said that officials were monitoring the situation of the Yamuna river in spate, which they anticipate could lead to a flood-like situation over Monday and Tuesday.

CNN-News18 reported that with 23,816 people having to be evacuated in the national capital, 2,120 relief camps have been formed, and the Delhi governemnt has 53 boats ready at 30 locations.

The numbers of the control rooms in Delhi are: 21210849, 22421656. The report added that the next 48 hours are critical and also that the Delhi government, the Lieutenant Governor, and the central government are working together to tackle the situation.

Arvind Kejriwal says Delhi govt is prepared as Yamuna expected to cross danger mark by today evening

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who held a meeting with government officials as the Yamuna river came close to crossing the danger mark on Monday afternoon, addressed a press conference on the looming flood-like situation in the national capital.

He said,  “The water level (of Yamuna river) is expected to cross the danger mark, today evening. Water can reach here during the next two days with full force, all our officers and ministers are monitoring the situation constantly.”

More than 400 tourists stranded after Himachal Pradesh receives unseasonal snowfall, rain

More than 400 tourists have been stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti districts after the state received unseasonal snowfall and rain on Monday.

The Indian Express quoted the IMD Shimla director, Dr Manmohan Singh as saying, “According to our records, snowfall in Spiti during this period is coming after 11 years. The last snowfall in Spiti (during this period) was in 2008. There is no record about Lahaul valley before, thus it is unusual.”

Two rescued in Jammu

Two people who were stranded near an under-construction bridge in Jammu’s Tawi river, were rescued by the IAF on Monday. Here is the full video of the rescue. 

#UPDATE Jammu & Kashmir: Two more persons have been rescued after they got stuck near a bridge in JAMMU following a sudden increase in the water level of Tawi river. pic.twitter.com/JI6oWRtR5B

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Yamuna crosses ‘warning mark’ of 204.50 meters in Delhi

The Yamuna river on Monday crossed the “warning mark” of 204.50 meters and was set to breach the “danger mark” of 205.33m, forcing authorities to stop traffic on one of the bridges that connect Delhi with its eastern wing. Amid the rising water level, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting of officials, the government said.

The water level of Yamuna was now said to be at 205m, after over eight lakh cusecs of water were released from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana. The Delhi government has ordered the evacuation of people living in low-lying areas along the river.

Am meeting officers from all concerned depts at 1 pm to assess the situation and the preparations. https://t.co/gH7JKlSNSV

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2019

Rivers in Uttar Pradesh flow over danger mark

Rivers in Uttar Pradesh, including the Ganga, Yamuna and Ghaghra, are flowing above the danger mark after heavy rainfall in neighbouring states, reports said.

According to the Central Water Commission, the Ganga is flowing above the danger mark in Badaun, Garhmukteshwar, Naraura and Farrukhabad. Sharda in Palia Kalan and the Ghaghra at Elgin Bridge in Barabanki of UP are flowing above the danger mark. Jalaun DM Mannan Akhtar said, “The Yamuna is flowing above the danger mark in Kalpi due to which 12 villages have been cut off from the tehsil headquarters. Kharif crop has been damaged. The release of water from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana and excessive rain in Kota of Rajasthan have suddenly increased the water level in the Yamuna.”

Flood alert issued in Delhi, people told to move to safer places

The Delhi government on Sunday had issued a flood alert and asked people living in low-lying areas to move to safer places as the water level in the Yamuna river was expected to cross the danger mark. The Yamuna was flowing at 204.7 metres on Monday and officials said that the water level was expected to rise up to 207 metres as 8.28 lakh cusecs water was released from Haryana’s Hathini Kund barrage.

The East Delhi district had directed all sub-divisional magistrates to evacuate  people from low-lying areas with the help of Delhi Police and civil defence volunteers by 9 am on Monday.

Heavy rains expected in Delhi on Monday evening

Morning in the National Capital was sultry with the weatherman predicting heavy rains towards the evening. “The minimum temperature recorded at 8.30 am was 23.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal,” a MeT official was quoted as saying by News18. The humidity level was recorded at 88 percent.

While the Safdarjung observatory recorded 2 mm rainfall, the Palam and Aya Nagar observatories received traces of rainfall. The Lodhi Road and Ridge area observatories recorded 0.3 mm rainfall each. According to the weatherman, the sky will be generally cloudy and very light rain or thundershowers are expected.

All educational institutions shut in Kullu and Shimla districts

The Himachal Pradesh government has announced closure of all educational institutions in Kullu and Shimla districts on Monday. A government spokesperson said the Satluj, Beas and Yamuna rivers and their tributaries have been in spate in Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts.

“We have advised people settled along the banks of the rivers to move to safer places,” an official told IANS.

Himachal received highest-ever rainfall in 70 years: Met department 

The Indian Meteorological Department in Himachal said that the state received the highest ever rainfall for a 24-hour period, since records began almost 70 years ago. “The state as a whole received 102.5 mm and this was 1,065 per cent more than normal for this day,” the IMD said in a statement.

This is the highest ever rainfall in 24 hours over the state, it added. The higher reaches of Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts experienced snowfall. Keylong town in Lahaul-Spiti district too saw snow. There was no major rainfall in the state in the past 12 hours. Light to moderate rainfall was likely at some places till Tuesday, a Met Department official told reporters.

Landslides in Himachal Pradesh disrupt road traffic

Roads in Himachal Pradesh continued to remain shut on Monday due to landslides triggered by heavy rain in the past two days, officials said.

Reports said more than 300 vehicles, carrying tourists and locals, have been stuck since Sunday between Keylong and the Rohtang Pass and work was on to clear the landslide debris.

Vehicular traffic stopped near Himachal’s Kullu

Pedestrians are seen walking as vehicular traffic was stopped at the Bhuntar-Manikaran road near Sarsadi in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Monday. 

Kullu: Traffic movement stopped at Bhuntar-Manikaran road near Sarsadi after the road caved in following a landslide. #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/oGx1xUwp3a

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Bridge over Sutlej collapses in Himachal

Bridge over Sutlej river collapses in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rains and rising water levels of the river.

Himachal Pradesh: A portion of a footbridge over Sutlej river in Chaba area of Shimla collapsed yesterday after the water level in the river increased due to heavy rainfall in the region.
The bridge provided connectivity to Shakra, Baaladi, Bindla, & Jedvi villages pic.twitter.com/XxPypEhVmi

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Heavy rains kill 10 in Uttarakhand

Heavy rains lashed Uttarakhand as authorities recovered more bodies taking the toll in rain-related incidents in the state to 10. According to reports, nine of them died in cloudbursts in Uttarkashi district alone where a number of people are still missing.

“Eight bodies have been recovered so far, five from Makudi and three from Arakot village. A number of people from six rain-hit villages are still missing. Though names of five persons have been received, the number of those missing could be higher,” Uttarkashi disaster management officer Devendra Patwal told reporters. 

The State Emergency Operation Centre here said one body was also recovered from Sanel village adjoining Arakot and Makudi.  One casualty was reported from Tehri district where a tree fell on a woman killing her on the spot on Sunday.

Uttarakhand: Two persons airlifted from Arakot of Mori tehsil in Uttarkashi following cloudburst have been brought to Sahasradhara helipad in Dehradun. They are being shifted to Doon Hospital pic.twitter.com/tXXNkNSIsl

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

IAF deployed for rescue operation in Punjab

Aided by the Karnal Police, the Indian Air Force rescued nine people, including women and children, who were stuck in Haryana’s Karnal. The rescue operation was carried out in the early hours of Monday despite adverse weather, Haryana’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk said.

Keeping in view the alarming situation after the release of 2.4 lakh cusecs of water from Ropar headwork, deputy commissioner Jalandhar, Varinder Kumar Sharma has ordered the stationing of companies of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) at vulnerable points in Shahkot, Nakodar and Phillaur.

WATCH: Rescue operation in Jammu’s Tawi river is underway

#LIVE – @IAF_MCC conducts rescue operations at Tawi river in Jammu.#FloodFury https://t.co/woCxBsDHyU

— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 19, 2019

4 dead, three rescued in Uttarkashi village after cloudburst

Four dead, three rescued and one person has gone missing in Makudi village Uttarkashi district after a cloudburst was reported in the area. Rescue operation underway, ANI has reported.

#UPDATE Uttarakhand: 4 dead, 3 rescued & 1 missing in Makudi village, Uttarkashi district following a cloud burst in the area. Rescue operation underway. https://t.co/2sqifGReGH

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

NDRF undertakes rescue operation in Jalandhar

Visuals from rescue operations being carried out in Jalandhar, Punjab by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

#Floods2019#NDRFDeployment
@ Jalandhar, Punjab #COMMITTED2HELP#COMMITTED2SERVE#NDRF4U @satyaprad1 @PIBHomeAffairs @PunjabPoliceInd pic.twitter.com/aq4ZW5bbpc

— NDRF 🇮🇳 (@NDRFHQ) August 19, 2019

IAF chopper rescues stranded people from Jammu’s Tawi river

In a daring rescue operation, an IAF chopper helped stranded people on Jammu’s Tawi river. ANI tweeted the video of the operation and reported that after a sudden increase in water levels of Tawi river, two people were stuck near an under-construction bridge in Jammu. Rescue operations are underway. 

Jammu & Kashmir: Two persons have been rescued after they got stuck near a bridge in JAMMU after a sudden increase in the water level of Tawi river. Rescue operation still underway. pic.twitter.com/oV0hkltBrX

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

Jammu & Kashmir: People stuck near an under-construction bridge in JAMMU after a sudden increase in water-level of Tawi river. Rescue operation underway. pic.twitter.com/oi4774ffMS

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019