Disaster Situation

Heavy rain across north India over the last three days has led to several deaths in landslides and other rain-related incidents. The weather office said that the unprecedented rainfall is due to the confluence of a western disturbance and monsoonal winds. The scale of the damage in the entire region has been captured in visuals of bridges being swept away, boulders tumbling down hills due to rain-induced landslides, and vehicles swallowed by the gushing waters. The River Yamuna in Delhi breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres late last evening. The water level continued to rise overnight, and by this morning, it had reached 206.32 meters. The increase in water level was due to Haryana releasing more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage. In Haryana and Punjab, after three days of heavy rain, special teams have been deployed to assess the damage and to provide food, water, and shelter to those who have been displaced. In Himachal Pradesh, the worst affected state in north India, heavy rain battered the state, leading to the deaths of 30 people and causing damage worth ₹ 3,000 crore. The state capital Shimla reported the highest number of casualties with 11 dead. According to the police, 29 of the 30 dead have been identified.
(Source:N DTV, 12 Jul 2023 edition)