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Monsoon Updates: 19 killed in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh | As it happened

Monsoon mayhem continues across India as large areas across Punjab and Haryana remained affected by floodwaters which have submerged crops and marooned villagers. A similar situation is prevailing in Haryana. In Delhi, the Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark on Wednesday evening, but was now showing a receding trend. However, the situation is still critical. The water level rose due to rain in northern India and discharge of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana. Thousands of people living along the banks of the river in Delhi were moved to safer places. They have been asked to stay in the tents until the water level comes down to normal. Rail and vehicular traffic on the Old Yamuna Bridge was suspended as the water level rose. Relief teams of the Army have been carrying out rescue operations in various areas of Punjab and Haryana. Meanwhile, Maharashtra and Kerala are still recovering from the devastation of floods. Death toll continued to rise on Wednesday. A few people are still missing and many are lodged in relief camps.

Delhi rains (Photo: Reuters)
Aug 22, 2019 22:40 IST

Updates to this live blog have ended.

Aug 22, 2019 21:18 IST

IMD issues heavy rainfall alert for Kerala, coastal Karnataka

Heavy rain has been predicted for Kerala and coastal Karnataka in the next 24 hours, according to the weather department.

"Under the influence of convergence of lower-level westerlies, Kerala and coastal Karnataka is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places during next 24 hours and isolated heavy rainfall during the subsequent four days," Indian Meteorological Department posted on Twitter.

Aug 22, 2019 20:41 IST

Sultry weather in Delhi, rain likely on Sunday

Sultry weather persisted in the national capital on Thursday and a fresh spell of rains is likely only on Sunday, the weather department said.

The Safdarjung Observary, which provides official figures for the city, recorded a high of 35.2 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, and a low of 24.5 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 61 and 92 per cent.

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Aug 22, 2019 20:35 IST

Road restoration taken up on priority in rain-hit Uttarkashi: Deputy Magistrate

Restoration of damaged roads in the rain-hit district has been taken up on priority, said Uttarkashi District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan here on Thursday.

The network of roads in Mori block of the district was hit by cloudbursts and landslides, triggered by heavy rainfall on August 18, which left 16 dead and six missing.

"Opening blocked or breached roads in the affected area is the most important. The manpower deployed for the purpose has been increased," Chauhan said.

Aug 22, 2019 18:50 IST

19 killed in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh

As many as 19 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh where raging waters of major rivers have disrupted normal life, officials said.

"As many as 15 persons have died due to rain related incidents in different districts of the state.

"The figure included three deaths in Amethi, two each in Raebareli, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur and one death each in Saharanpur, Hamirpur, Pratapgarh, Fathepur, Basti and, Ayodhya," the Relief Commissioner's office said.

Aug 22, 2019 15:00 IST

Heavy rains lash parts of Delhi-NCR

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Aug 22, 2019 13:43 IST

Uttarakhand cloud burst: Arakot-Nakot road in Uttarkashi opened for light vehicles

Aug 22, 2019 13:24 IST

Fresh landslide blocks Manali-Keylong highway

Fresh landslide that occurred near Marhi have once again blocked the traffic on Manali-Keylong. Hundreds of vehicles travelling from Manali to Lahaul, Leh, Pangi, Killer, and Spiti have been stranded due to landslides. Commuters including women and children are stranded here had to spend the entire night in their vehicles.

Earlier on Tuesday, the National Highway 3 between Manali and Leh was also blocked for traffic movement near Rohtang due to a landslide triggered by relentless rains in the region. (ANI)

Aug 22, 2019 11:19 IST

Yamuna below danger mark as water level recedes

The water level of Yamuna is receding and the river is now flowing below the danger mark of 205.33 metres, an official said on Thursday.

"The level of Yamuna at railway bridge was 206.60 metres at 10 am. It is expected to recede further," the official at the flood department's control room said.

The water level of Yamuna reached the highest level of 206.60 metres Wednesday morning and remained constant for nearly seven hours. The river started receding from afternoon and flowed at 206.44 metres at 6 pm.

It had crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Monday.

Officials said around 23,000 affected people were evacuated from the flood-plains to safer places. Over 18,000 of them were accommodated in more than 2700 relief tents set up by the Delhi government agencies.

A total of 35 boats were deployed to rescue the stranded people. (PTI)

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Aug 22, 2019 09:46 IST

IMD issues heavy rainfall alert for Odisha and Kerala

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that heavy rainfall is likely over Odisha and Kerala on Thursday.

The weather forecasting agency also predicted that isolated pockets of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam and Meghalaya are likely to witness heavy downpour throughout the day.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Coastal & South Interior Karnataka, Lakshadweep and Telangana," the IMD stated in its All India Weather Warning Bulletin.

As per weather experts, the rain will continue to batter these regions due to deep depression persisting and weakening into a depression and moving westwards.

Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning very likely at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha and Jharkhand.Strong winds, speed reaching 45-55 kmph, are very likely to prevail over southwest Arabian Sea, south & central Bay of Bengal, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Kerala coast.

The organisation has also advised fishermen not to venture into these areas. (ANI)

Aug 22, 2019 08:07 IST

Odisha: Locals carry pregnant woman for 12km through river to get to ambulance

Aug 22, 2019 08:05 IST

Water level of Yamuna river below danger level

Delhi: Water level at Old Yamuna Bridge (Loha Pul) is at 204.95 meters; 0.38 meters below the danger level of 205.33 meters.

Aug 22, 2019 08:02 IST

3 killed as chopper crashes in rain-hit Uttarkashi

A helicopter engaged in relief and rescue operations in the rain-ravaged Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand crashed on Wednesday killing three persons on board including two crew members.

A private helicopter with three persons on board crashed near Moldi in the rain-hit Uttarkashi district after getting entangled in cables, Uttarakhand's Director General of Police (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar said.

The pilot, co-pilot and a local were killed in the crash, he said.

Those killed have been identified as the pilot, Captain Lal, co-pilot Captain Shailesh and Rajpal Rana, a resident of Kharsali village.

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has deputed a team of officials to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the crash, according to a senior official.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is likely to probe the accident, a DGCA official said. (PTI)

Aug 22, 2019 08:01 IST

Rescue operations underway in Punjab, Haryana as several villages remain inundated

Hundreds of acres of agricultural fields and several villages remain inundated in Punjab and Haryana even though no rainfall was reported in the two states for the last two days, allowing authorities to conduct rescue operations on Wednesday.

Helicopters of the Army were pressed into service to airdrop food packets in flood-hit villages of Punjab's Jalandhar district as they remain inundated because of breaches in the earthen embankments of the Sutlej river.

Sixteen Army teams from Vajra Corps of Western Command carried out rescue operations in Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr districts and also helped in plugging the breaches along the Sutlej river, according to an official statement.

Following the recent rains and the release of excess water from the Bhakra Dam, the Sutlej river and its tributaries had flooded villages in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Rupnagar, causing damage to crops and houses in low-lying areas.

The water has started receding in the swollen rivers in Punjab and Haryana with no fresh spell of rainfall in the past two days, but hundreds of acres of agricultural fields and several villages remain inundated.

The Punjab government on Wednesday sought Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre as special flood relief package for the loss caused by recent floods in the state.

At several places, voluntary organisations and religious bodies have set up 'langars' to provide food to the people devastated by the floods. (PTI)

Aug 22, 2019 07:54 IST

Water level of Yamuna river starts receding, rail traffic on old Yamuna bridge restored

Water level of the Yamuna started receding on Wednesday, but the river continues to flow above the danger mark, an official said.

A Northern Railway spokesperson said rail traffic over the old Yamuna bridge ('Lohe wala Pul'), which was temporarily suspended on Tuesday night, was restored at 4.25 pm on Wednesday with speed restriction of 20 kmph.

According to the Flood Control Room, the water level came down to 206.50 metres at 5 pm from 206.60 metres at 2 pm.

The river breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Monday.

"The water level is likely to recede further as Haryana has so far not released water from the Hathni Kund barrage in large quantity," a government official said. At 4 pm, only 10,000 cusec water was released from the barrage.

Due to inundation of low-lying areas, over 15,000 people living in Yamuna floodplains have been shifted to tents set up by various government agencies, officials said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met people affected by the flood and said the government will ensure that there is nmo shortage of relief materials.

The river flows through six districts of Delhi whose low-lying areas are prone to flooding. The administration has deployed 30 boats to prevent accidental drowning.

In 1978, the water in the river rose to its highest-ever level of 207.49 metres, causing a devastating flood in the national capital. (PTI)