Five more people lost their lives and 24.92 lakh people continued to suffer in the deluge as the flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Tuesday with most parts of Silchar in Cachar district remaining under water — over a week now.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department expected the conditions to remain favorable for the further advance of the monsoon in the remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in the subsequent 48 hours.

However, Delhi-NCR region will endure a torturous ’40-feels-like 50′ kind of temperature until the wait of the illusive monsoon ends. The IMD said the capital would witness rain starting from Wednesday evening and monsoon rainfall is likely to materialise between June 30 and July 1.

Assam Floods

Three people died in Cachar and one each in Morigaon and Dhubri. With these deaths, the toll in this year’s flood rose to 139, they added. Three people were also missing — two in Cachar and one in Chirang district, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

In the last 24 hours, 24.92 lakh people have been affected by the floods in 28 districts of the state. On Monday, 21.52 lakh people were suffering in 22 districts. Brahmaputra, Beki, Kopili, Barak and Kushiyara were flowing above the danger marks, while waters were receding in most other rivers.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the severely-affected districts of Bajali and Barpeta during the day and interacted with the affected people. In Bajali, he inspected a breached embankment at Kuruwa in Patacharkuchi and the flood situation at Charalpara Nayapara in Bhabanipur, besides visiting two relief camps.

An amount of Rs 9 crore has been sanctioned for strengthening the embankment of Pahumara river and the construction of a road on it, he announced. In the worst-hit Barpeta district, Sarma visited three relief camps and assured the people that steps will be taken for dredging Harijan river.

In Silchar, tourism minister Jayanta Malla Barua reviewed the flood relief and rescue operations. A team of the National Health Mission (NHM), led by its Assam Mission Director MS Lakshmi Priya, also visited the city to ensure proper medical facilities for the affected people.

Medical officers and paramedical staff have been deployed and health camps started in the different relief centres for the prevention of diseases, a statement issued by NHM said. A total of 7,212 people were screened during the day, and those found to be very sick were sent to hospital.

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said water pouches and water purifying tablets are being distributed among the people. Work is underway to repair the damaged dyke at Bethukandi, which led to the flooding of the city, Jalli said.

A total of 2,389 villages in 72 revenue circles have been affected across the state, while 1,76,201 people have taken shelter in 555 relief camps, according to the ASDMA. Floodwaters have damaged 155 roads and five bridges, while seven embankments were breached — five in Hailakandi and two in Bishwanath, it said.

A crop area of 85,673.62 hectares is still inundated and 4,304 animals were washed away. Largescale erosion was reported from Chirang, Dibrugarh and Hailakandi districts, among others.

Two landslides were reported from Karimganj and Lakhimpur but there was no casualty.

Uttarakhand

Heavy downpour lashed parts of Uttarakhand since Tuesday night, following which, the Badrinath highway was closed due to landslide and overflowing of a ravine. Besides, a couple of connecting roads were also blocked in Bageshwar, affecting the district communication network.

Delhi

Delhi is likely to receive the first monsoon showers on June 30 or July 1, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said on Tuesday. The southwest monsoon usually arrives in the national capital on June 27.

Senior IMD Scientist R K Jenamani told PTI there is a prediction of good rainfall in the city on June 30 and the arrival of the monsoon can be declared on Thursday or Friday. Conditions are favorable for the advance of the monsoon into Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh in the next 24 hours. Easterly winds, moisture incursion and convective activity have increased in this region, he said.

“We expect the conditions to remain favorable for the further advance of the monsoon in the remaining parts of UP, HP, J-K, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in the subsequent 48 hours,” the senior meteorologist said. Jenamani said high humidity increased discomfort in the last few days though the temperatures hovered around 41-42 degrees Celsius.

Pre-monsoon convection may lead to light rainfall in the national capital on Wednesday evening and provide relief from the heat. The IMD has issued an orange alert, warning of moderate rainfall in the city on June 30. The maximum temperature will come down to 33-34 degrees Celsius by July 1, he said. Last year, the IMD had forecast that the monsoon would arrive in Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date, June 27. However, it reached the capital only on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years.

The monsoon had entered a “break” phase and there was virtually no progress from June 20 to July 8. Asked about the delay in the arrival of the monsoon in Delhi, the senior scientist said a gap of around five days is considered normal.

“However, we did not see any major weather system developing in the Bay of Bengal (which could have pushed the monsoon forward). This year, it has mainly been a wind-driven monsoon,” he said. According to IMD data, the monsoon covered Delhi 29 times in June and 33 times in July in the last 62 years.

The IMD had in 2020 revised the date of monsoon arrival in Delhi from June 29 to June 27. Weather experts have said the monsoon is expected to yield good rainfall in Delhi in the first 10 days.

The northern limit of the southwest monsoon, which is the northernmost limit up to which it has advanced on a given day, passed through Ratlam, Shivpuri, Rewa, and Churk on Tuesday. Conditions are favourable for further advance of monsoon into the remaining parts of Bihar, some more parts of Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmiri during the next 24 hours, the IMD said.

Flood threat emerges in north Bihar, Seemanchal areas

Several districts in north Bihar and the Seemanchal area were facing floods as a number of rivers in the region rose above the danger mark on Tuesday.

Several villages in Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj, Katihar in Seemanchal, as well as East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Supaul and other districts were affected due to flooding.

In Araria, the water level of Nuna river rose on Tuesday and flooded several villages after washing away the embankment at Sikti block. The section of road connecting Sikti to Singhiya was also damaged by flood water. Children were seen playing in flood water.

Beside Nuna river, Lohandra river was also flowing above the danger mark and flood water entered everal villages coming under the Kursakanta block. The Parman and Bakrav rivers were 10 centimetres above the danger mark in Jokihat block.

The water level of the Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Kosi, and Kamla Balan river have also crossed danger level in several places, due to continuous rainfall in Nepal.

A total of 1.32 lakh cusec water was released from Valmikinagar Barrage in the last 24 hours leading to flood like situation in Bettiah, Bagha, and Gopalganj. The administration of these districts were on high alert as the rain is continuously taking place in Nepal and adjoining districts of Bihar.

The districts of north Bihar lie lower than contiguous areas of Nepal, and hence, water accumulates there and creates havoc for the residents.

The administration has alerted people and asked them to move to higher ground.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for North Bengal as high intercity rainfall is expected in the next couple of days as heavy rainfall is likely to occur in several districts of West Bengal till Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, incessant downpour led to waterlogging of several areas in Jalpaiguri town. Cooch Behar recorded the highest rainfall in the state in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Tuesday at 230 mm, the Met said.

The weatherman forecast heavy rain at isolated places in Gangetic West Bengal till Thursday morning. The sub-Himalayan districts of Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Thursday morning, the Met said.

Several wards in Jalpaiguri were submerged under ankle to knee-deep water owing to a rising Korola river, which passes through the town, amid incessant rain throughout the night. The other places which recorded high amount of rainfall during the period are Barobisa (200 mm), Falakata (190 mm), Alipurduar (180 mm) and Mathabhanga (110 mm), the Met department data said.

The weatherman forecast partly cloudy sky for Kolkata on Wednesday with possibility of rain or thundershower in some areas.

(With agency inputs)

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