The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, warming of heavy rainfall and possible flooding. Thus comes as the two hill states have been battered by incessant rains, leading to cloudbursts, landslides, and widespread damage.
In Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts on Thursday morning caused severe destruction, with four people confirmed dead and more than 50 others reported missing. teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Police, and him guards have launched rescue operations to locate the missing individuals, with drones being used to aid the search efforts.
Uttarakhand has also been hit hard by the heavy rains, with 12 deaths reported, including three from the same family, and six injuries. The downpour has led to house collapses, widespread flooding, and rising water levels in several rivers. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that pilgrims stranded on the trek route to Kedarnath are being transported to the emergency helipad, and an advisory has been issued advising pilgrims to postpone their journey until the road is restored.
The cloudburst in Uttarakhand also caused a landslide in the Bhim Bail stream along the Kedarnath walkway, damaging a 30-meter stretch. This area has been temporarily closed for safety reasons. Roads in Haridwar were submerged, and flooding impacted colonies and markets in Bhupatwala, Haridwar, Naya Haridwar, Kankhal, and Jwalapur.
In response to the IMD’s red alert, fresh registration for the Chardham yatra has been put on hold for the time being. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Himachal Chief Minister of Providing central assistance and all possible help, while BJP National President JP Nadda has asked all BJP cadres to work toward the rescue and relief of people affected by the cloudburst in his home state.
The IMD has predicted isolated very heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand during August 1-3, in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh on August 1. It also expects scattered to family widespread rainfall over Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during the next four to five days.
The heavy rains have also caused disruptions in Delhi, with the Pragati Maidan observatory in central Delhi recording 112.5 mm of rainfall in one hour, considered a ‘cloud burst’ according to the IMD’ Automatic Weather Station network. The IMD has issued a red alert for the national capital, with heavy rains and thunderstorms expected on August 1.
The National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin has included Delhi as an ‘area of concern’ after it recorded more than 1oo mm of rainfall in an hour. The Delhi government has ordered all schools to remain closed today due to the current weather conditions.
The heavy rains have also impacted air travel with IndiaGo Airlines informing passengers that departure and arrivals are experiencing delays, which may continue through the morning. The airline acknowledged that waiting through the night can be bothersome and inconvenient for passengers.
The IMD has predicted fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lighting over the regions in West and Central India and East and Northeast India during the next five days. It also said that fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall will occur over Coastal Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Kerala, and Mahe, with scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall over Interior Karnataka and isolated to scattered rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Telangana, and Rayalaseema during the same period.
The heavy rains have wreaked havoc across northern India, with at least 32 people killed in rain-related incidents across seven states over the past 24 hours. This includes 12 in Uttarakhand, two in Himachal Pradesh, five in Delhi, two in Greater Noida of Uttar Pradesh, three in Haryana’s Gurugram, three in Rajasthan’s Jaipur, and five in Bihar.
As rescue and relief operations continue in the affected areas, authorities are urging people to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel. The IMD’s red alert serves as a stark reminder of the need for preparedness and disaster management in the face of extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly common due to climate change.