Evacuation efforts are in full swing in Odisha’s Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts as they brace for flood in the Subarnarekha river basin. Rescue operations were intensified in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh after heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Odisha’s Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts are bracing for floods.
- After rain fury over the weekend, rescue ops are underway in Uttarakhand and Himachal.
- The IMD has forecast rainfall in the next 48 hours in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Evacuation efforts are in full swing in flood-hit Odisha’s Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts as water in Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers breached the danger mark at many places. As many as 58 rescue teams have been deployed in the two northern districts in readiness of the imminent flood threat.
Meanwhile, rescue operations were intensified in the hill state of Uttarakhand, where a series of cloudbursts hit Dehradun, Tehri and Pauri districts on Saturday. Officials said efforts are on to restore connectivity along stretches where bridges had been washed out by swollen rivers.
In the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will on Monday review the on-ground situation in Mandi district, which was ravaged by flash flood and landslides over the weekend that left 22 people dead.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall in the next 48 hours in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places over Madhya Maharashtra and heavy rainfall at isolated places over east Madhya Pradesh, west Rajasthan and north Gujarat on Monday.
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ODISHA
Odisha is already reeling under the impact of floods in the Mahanadi river system following incessant rainfall, which has affected above 7 lakh people. Nearly 5 lakh are still marooned in 763 villages, according to government estimates. Now, a deep depression which formed over the Bay of Bengal last week brought heavy rains in the northern coastal districts and sent water levels rising alarmingly in all the rivers flowing there.
Four blocks in the coastal Balasore district Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta and Jaleswar were identified as the most vulnerable to the latest flooding. The Balasore district administration has decided to evacuate at least 1.2 lakh people by Monday noon.
Baitrani Overflowing, the entire belt/river side is submerged. We advice people to be safe and healthy and Do not miss the safety protocols.#Monsoon #OdishaFlood pic.twitter.com/0RhlJU8mHd
— BHIMKUND (@BhimkundEcoTour) August 22, 2022
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik delegated the powers of a special relief commissioner to the collector of Balasore district so that the local administration could be more effective. A helicopter was also placed at his disposal to deal with any emergency.
Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep K Jena said 58 rescue teams comprising personnel of the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service were deployed in Balasore and Mayurbahnj districts, and similar arrangements were also being made in adjoining districts of Bhadrak and Jajpur.
Congress Karyakartas on job for relief materials distribution in the flood affected areas. #OdishaFloods #CongressKeSipahi pic.twitter.com/LULLG12Fc0
— Odisha Congress (@INCOdisha) August 21, 2022
In a tragic incident, the bodies of two brothers-in-law were fished out after being swept away in flood water in Sambalpur district. The incident took place on Saturday when the duo was crossing the Naktipali nullah and their vehicles were swept away by flood water in Baratengara drain.
On the other hand, the IMD has declared a third deep depression in the Bay of Bengal from August 23, which could spell fresh trouble for the flood-ravaged state. The latest forecast by the weather agency said that Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall or thundershower from August 23.
UTTARAKHAND
Rain continued to wreak havoc in Uttarakhand, killing four people while several others remained missing. Flashfloods and landslides brought on by a series of cloudbursts have upended normal life across several districts of the hill state.
Rivers breached banks, washed away bridges, and threw mud and waters inside houses, forcing evacuation of multiple villages. As the gushing waters threatened more damage, a number of roads were blocked for traffic.
Rescue teams intensified operations in Maldevta and adjoining areas and 24 tourists stranded at Jungle Gadera Resort were evacuated to safety.
Uttarakhand | SDRF Rescue reached the spot on receiving info of some people being trapped in Aranyam Resort in Mohanchatti area of Pauri Garhwal district. All connectivity had been broken. Teams were mobilized immediately, rescue work is in progress: SDRF https://t.co/9PlOycKXbK pic.twitter.com/0Jiaaxl1mP
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 21, 2022
Five people are still missing in Gwad village of Tehri district and seven in Maldevta and Raipur areas of Dehradun, officials said.
In Dhanaulti area of Tehri district, two people were killed in two separate incidents of houses collapse. While two bodies were recovered from the debris, five others are still missing; SDRF and NDRF teams could not reach there as roads were closed.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Himachal Pradesh CM is on a visit to his home district of Mandi, where 13 people have died and five persons are feared dead as they went missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides.
Thakur will specially visit Kashan village in Gohar development block where Khem Singh and seven other members of his family were buried alive under the debris of their house after a landslide occurred on August 20.
Spiti valley between Tabo &Poh Village. pic.twitter.com/saKK0GEeAF
— HIMACHAL PRADESH STATE DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE (@HP_SDRF) August 21, 2022
In Kangra district, seven houses were damaged due to land subsistence in Bariyara village under sub-division Nurpur following heavy rains. Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania along with administrative officials visited the spot and took stock of the relief work. The seven houses started developing cracks in the courtyards first, followed by cracks in the surrounding land, which resulting in the sinking of the pillars, walls and windows of the houses.
A bus on the edge of a cliff after it narrowly escaped falling in the gorge from a sunken road in Panjpula , Tehsil Dalhousie at NH Chamba to Pathankot on 20-8-22 .All passengers were safely rescued. pic.twitter.com/ndscRp1fQZ
— HIMACHAL PRADESH STATE DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE (@HP_SDRF) August 21, 2022
JHARKHAND
Six children drowned in Jharkhand’s Palamu and Hazaribag districts on Sunday amid heavy rains.
In Palamu, four children, aged between 10 and 12, went to take bath in the stagnant water at an abandoned graphite mine in Satbarwa police station area in the afternoon. As one of the children started drowning, two others jumped in to save him and all of them drowned, police said.
In Hazaribag, three children drowned in the Rehda dam near the BSF Training Centre and School in Meru while they were taking bath.
MADHYA PRADESH
The IMD said a depression over northeast Madhya Pradesh will weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 24 hours. The weather system is expected to bring rainfall at most places with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over west Madhya Pradesh.
MP | Red alert for rainfall sounded in 39 districts including Bhopal, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Ratlam, Neemuch and Mandsaur. Moderate rainfall to take place in 12 districts including Indore, Gwalior, Dhar and Khargone pic.twitter.com/nLEHMzanzF
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) August 22, 2022
Due to heavy rains since Saturday, the level of Narmada river has gone up and the Dindori-Jabalpur road has been closed. The Narmada temple is also submerged.
In Sagar district, Motichoor , Parashree and Bina rivers overflowed their banks and many roads have been cut off due to water flooding bridges. Flood water has also entered many homes. An alert has been issued in the district.
Schools and Anganwadis were ordered closed on Monday in Mandla district, where many temples on the ghats of the Narmada are submerged and low-lying areas are inundated.
Water entered many houses in low-lying areas in Rajgarh as the water level in the Ajnar river rose owing to the heavy rainfall.
A viral video which surfaced in Chainpur village in Raisen showed villagers carrying a dead body for last rites while wading through deep water, as roads in the village are waterlogged after heavy rainfall. Another incident caught on camera showed the moment a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Chitaura village of Vidisha district.
UTTAR PRADESH
Rising water level in the river Ganga has submerged major ghats in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, leading to difficulties in performing puja and other religious events.
The district administration said as Harish Chandra Ghat and Manikarnika Ghat have been inundated, last rites are now being carried out at relatively higher places.
The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places over south Uttar Pradesh on Monday. During the next 24 hours, squally winds reaching 25-35 kmph gusting to 45 kmph could bring damage to loose and unsecured structures.
