Heavy rains, flash floods and lightning strikes have led to several deaths in several states across the country, besides loss of property.
In Himachal Pradesh, heavy rain and a cloudburst incident have led to the disappearance of 18 to 20 people. A nine-year-old girl was also feared drowned. The district administration is engaged in relief and rescue operations. The NDRF has been deployed for rescue operation. Reports said the maximum damage due to rain has been in Kangra district. Half-a-dozen of houses in Shapur area of Kangra district have been damaged and buried in mud.
Incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh have led to an incident of cloudburst in the famous tourist destination of Dharamshala, triggering a flood-like situation, with half-a-dozen vehicles being washed away in the flood water, and public properties, including residential houses and shops, damaged in the Bhagsunag area as well. However, there was no report of any loss of life in the incident.
Besides Himachal Pradesh, heavy downpours have continued in parts of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The IMD said it is continuously monitoring the progress of the monsoon in various parts of the country. Delhi and Haryana were left longing for respite even as southwest monsoon rains advanced towards Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer and Ganganagar districts on Monday. The weather agency predicted the rain to cover Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and some parts of West Bengal. Rains also covered west Rajasthan, parts of Haryana and Punjab on Monday.
Meanwhile, lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh in the past 24 hours have claimed 74 lives. The maximum number of deaths was reported from Uttar Pradesh where 41 died due to lightning strikes across 16 districts on Sunday night.
WITH INPUTS FROM AGENCIES