Delhi under flood alert, heavy rainfall kills 22 across states
Following incessant rainfall in northwest India over the weekend, the Delhi government issued a flood alert on Sunday after Haryana released over one lakh cusecs of water in the Yamuna River. A red alert has been sounded in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as the water level rose in all major rivers, and more heavy showers have been forecast for the next two days.
Water level expected to cross danger mark on Tuesday
The Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms to monitor the water level of the Yamuna River and flood-prone areas. The water from the barrage usually takes two to three days to reach Delhi and is expected to cross the danger mark of 205.33 meters on Tuesday. The low-lying areas near the river, inhabited by around 37,000 people, are prone to flooding.
Delhi saw highest rainfall in 41 years
Notably, Delhi witnessed its highest rainfall in 41 years, receiving 153mm in the 24-hour period between Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh's Solan received 135mm of rainfall on Sunday, breaking a 50-year-old record of 105mm of rain in a day set in 1971, while Una saw its highest rainfall in 30 years.
Heavy rainfall triggers flash floods, landslides in Himachal, Uttarakhand
On Sunday, a torrential downpour triggered flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of six people. The death toll in the state since the onset of the monsoon reached 54. Heavy rainfall and landslides in Uttarakhand also claimed six lives. A landslide hit a passenger bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda, killing two people, while a man was killed in Ladakh's Kargil.
Schools closed in Delhi NCR
In light of the rains, the administration has announced all schools will be closed in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, and Noida. Delhi's Pragati Maidan Tunnel will remain closed on Monday due to waterlogging. Furthermore, the Gurugram Deputy Commissioner issued a work-from-home advisory for all corporate and private institutions to avoid traffic congestion and restoration of civic amenities. Schools have also been closed in Punjab's Ludhiana.
Heavy rainfall forecast in central, southern, northeastern states
Separately, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur over the next five days. Isolated heavy rainfall was forecast for Andaman and Nicobar, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha until Wednesday.
