Himachal, Kerala reel from havoc; Assam flood toll mounts to 98

Rain fury eased in several parts of the country on Saturday; however, destruction prevailed in its wake, with the death toll in Assam mounting to 98, mobility paralysed with 153 roads blocked in Himachal Pradesh and hundreds in Kerala staying put in relief camps due to damage to houses and roads.

In Assam, more than 1.55 lakh people remained affected by floods, with the toll in this year’s deluge reaching 98 with one more fatality, officials said on Saturday.

Even as 13 districts remained affected, the government will, from Sunday, launch an assessment of damage caused by the deluge to expedite release of funds for permanent rehabilitation in the four worst-hit districts in the eastern part of the State.

Marking a four-day streak of showers, the national capital on Saturday recorded its wettest August day in two years, with the month’s rainfall total nearly reaching the monthly average in just the first eight days.

With 98.7 mm of rain till 8.30 am, Delhi marked the highest rainfall in August since 2024, when 107.6 mm of rain was recorded on the first day of the month.

Traffic snarls were reported at several stretches across the national Capital amid incessant rain, with heavy congestion at the Kalindi Kunj border, ITO, Press Enclave Marg, Geetanjali Marg and Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. Traffic was also affected in parts of east Delhi, including stretches of GT Road.

During the first seven days of August, Delhi recorded 127 mm of rainfall as relentless rain continued to affect the national Capital through Friday. The heavy rainfall on Friday caused widespread waterlogging, increased flow in drains, and numerous reports of wall and house collapses across Delhi.

Friday, which saw the city pounded mercilessly by showers, caused multiple incidents, including the collapse of a wall at a private parking facility in Deoli, damaging eight vehicles. Additionally, an 18-year-old went missing after being swept away by rainwater while trying to cross a drain in the Priyanka Camp area of southeast Delhi during heavy rainfall.  In Himachal Pradesh, torrential rains have led to the closure of 153 roads, and the Shimla MeT Office issued an ‘orange alert’ for heavy to very heavy rains at isolated locations in the State on Monday and Tuesday.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 77 water supply schemes and 104 transformers were also disrupted as of Saturday morning.

Since the monsoon began on June 30, 65 people have died in rain-related incidents so far, including 14 in landslides and one in flash floods. The State has suffered losses totalling Rs 834 crore, officials said. The weather department has predicted a wet spell in the State till August 14.

In Kerala, rains prevailed on Saturday, and although floodwaters are receding gradually in many areas, hundreds of people remain in relief camps as many roads and houses are still flooded.

The Upper Kuttanad and Kuttanad regions of Alappuzha and interior areas of Kottayam district continued to bear the brunt of the flooding, though water levels had started receding at several places, officials said.

Floodwaters were receding only marginally in some areas, and several residents remained stranded or affected as their houses and roads were still underwater.

Major roads, including the Alappuzha-Changanassery Road, remained inundated, disrupting traffic in the region. Small boats were being used to ferry people and shift essential belongings from waterlogged areas.

In view of the prevailing rains, holidays were declared for all educational institutions in eight districts — Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha — on Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Local self-government institutions, revenue officials and elected representatives have been asked to facilitate the evacuation of vulnerable residents to relief camps wherever necessary.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain and thundershowers at several locations in western Uttar Pradesh and isolated areas in the eastern parts of the state over the next 24 hours.

Officials have also issued a warning of heavy rain in certain locations in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

A few places in Punjab and Haryana received rain during the day, including Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot, Bathinda, Hisar, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sirsa and Gurugram.

More than 50 places in Haryana’s Faridabad were waterlogged on Saturday as relentless rains over the past 24 hours caused massive traffic jams and widespread disruptions to daily life, while a large section of a culvert on Surajkund Road caved in, posing a risk to pedestrians and motorists.

According to the district administration, Faridabad received 120 mm rainfall from Friday 8 am till Saturday 8 am, exceeding initial estimates.

Heavy rainfall was also recorded in several areas of Rajasthan as the southwest monsoon remained active. The meteorological centre said that monsoon conditions were likely to remain active over most parts of eastern Rajasthan during the next week.

Following heavy rain, waterlogging was reported at several places along the Jaipur-Delhi National Highway, passing through Kotputli-Behror district. Water also entered markets and houses in urban areas.

Schools and anganwadi centres in Bharatpur were closed due to rainfall, while a house roof collapsed in Govindgarh in Alwar. No casualties were reported in the incident.

Churu also received rain since Saturday morning, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas and several colonies. Water accumulated outside both gates of the DB Hospital, causing inconvenience to patients and staff.

Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness widespread rainfall and thunderstorms over the coming days, with the Meteorological Department warning of heavy to very heavy rain in a few districts of Jammu division from August 9 to 11.

The meteorological department has advised caution, warning that torrential rain and brief intense heavy showers could trigger flash floods and landslides at vulnerable places, besides causing waterlogging in low-lying areas.

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended from Jammu on Saturday amid inclement weather, a forecast of heavy rain over the next few days and a decline in pilgrim arrivals, officials said.

In a tragic development in Rajouri district, a 17-year-old girl died after the vehicle transporting her to a hospital became stuck in mud for several hours on a road that had been damaged by a mudslide caused by recent heavy rains.

Several low-lying areas in Dimapur district of Nagaland were flooded following continuous heavy rainfall, disrupting normal life on Saturday, while a final-year college student died of electrocution after water entered his house, officials said.

Heavy rain has been lashing Dimapur district since Saturday morning. The prevailing situation has been attributed primarily to continuous rainfall and substantial surface runoff from upstream and hill catchment areas, resulting in increased inflow into Dimapur’s downstream drainage network.

Nine people, including two children and an elderly person, were safely rescued and evacuated by the SDRF from their flooded house. Four hostellers were rescued from a hostel in River Belt Colony, while another five people stranded in the Holy Cross School area were evacuated to a secure location.

The IMD on Saturday forecast heavy rainfall in Odisha in the next five days as a low pressure has formed in the Bay of Bengal. “Under its influence, extremely heavy rainfall is expected to take place at isolated places over parts of north and west Odisha,” the IMD said.