New Delhi: The rain ebbed in some places in north India and pelted down in others on Tuesday with at least seven more people dead and hundreds stranded as raging waters gushed through villages, towns and fields – from the desert state of Rajasthan to the hills of Himachal Pradesh.
State governments stepped up relief and rescue efforts in the affected districts, navigating the trail of destruction left behind by the incessant downpour of the last three days.
Four of the latest fatalities were reported in Uttarakhand and the rest in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. This is in addition to the 37 deaths reported till Monday.
In Himachal Pradesh, which is among the worst hit and where at least 300 are stranded, the meteorological department warned of the possibility of moderate to high flash floods in Shimla, Sirmaur and Kinnaur districts.
Northwest region saw incessant rainfall during the last three days, with many areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan recording "heavy to extremely heavy" precipitation.
This resulted in overflowing rivers, creeks and drains that have massively damaged infrastructure and disrupted essential services in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
In the national capital, the Yamuna has exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations and a closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic. (with Agency inputs)
