Assam situation grim
Assam’s flood situation remained critical on Saturday with over 24.50 lakh people reeling under the deluge in 30 districts and major rivers flowing above the danger mark at several places, an official bulletin said.
The toll in this year’s flood was 52 and 12 others lost their lives due to landslides and storms. The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri. Its tributaries Burhi Dihing at Chenimari, Dikhou at Sivasagar, Disang at Nanglamuraghat, Dhansiri at Numaligarh, Jia Bharali at NT Road crossing, and Kopili at Kampur and Dharamtul are also flowing above the danger levels. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a meeting with officials after returning from the severely affected Dibrugarh district and reviewed the flood situation in the State.
Assam's famed Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has claimed the lives of 114 wild animals while 95 others have been rescued till Saturday, an official said.
The animal mortality in the KNP has increased from 77 till Friday. The dead animals include four rhinos and 94 hog deer due to drowning in the KNP and 11 others during treatment.
Amarnath Yatra stalled
The Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended on both routes to the cave shrine on Saturday as a precautionary measure due to heavy rainfall, officials said.
Intermittent heavy rainfall has been seen along the Baltal and Pahalgam routes since last night, they said.
The decision to temporarily suspend the yatra was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, the officials added.
The number of devotees who have visited the 3,800-metre-high cave shrine and had ‘darshan’ of the naturally formed ice lingam has crossed 1.50 lakh.
The Amarnath Yatra began on June 29 from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal — and will culminate on August 19.
Lightning strikes Bihar
Nine people were killed after being struck by lightning in six districts of Bihar in the last 24 hours, officials said on Saturday.
The lightning deaths were reported from Jehanabad, Madhepura, East Champaran, Rohtas, Saran and Supaul districts, they said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the death of nine people due to lightning and announced an ex-gratia of `4 lakh to each of the deceased’s family members.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Saturday, Jehanabad district reported three deaths followed by two in Madhepura, one each in East Champaran, Rohtas, Saran and Supaul.
The CM urged people to follow advisories issued by the Disaster Management Department.
Himachal, U’khand disrupted
Heavy rain disrupted daily life in Uttarakhand. Daily life was disrupted in the Hill State as the rain triggered numerous landslides, blocking key roads, including the national highway leading to Badrinath with A five-year-old drowned in a rainwater-filled pit in Dehradun and a teenager in a Haridwar rivulet.
Landslides triggered by heavy rains over the past few days have left the Badrinath National Highway blocked at more than half a dozen places, including Kameda between Gauchar and Rudraprayag, Bhanir Pani near Pipalkoti, Pagalnala near Tangni, Pinola between Joshimath and Badrinath and at Kanchanganga beyond Hanumanchatti. National Highways Authority of India and Border Roads Organisation personnel are busy clearing the roads.
Also, heavy rain lashed parts of Himachal, including Kangra's Dharamshala and Palampur where rainfall levels exceeded the 200-mm mark. According to the emergency operation centre, 62 roads, including 38 in Mandi, 14 Kullu, five in Shimla, Four in Sirmaur and one in Kangra district, are closed for traffic following torrential rains on Saturday evening.
