Monsoon scenario in the country

At least four States, Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are drought hit. Gujarat too is severely affected as the sluggish monsoon has not reached its crucial sowing areas. In the northwest monsoon has been 35 per cent deficient. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have had to incur higher input costs to pump groundwater for saving the standing paddy crop. The two States are irrigated but water releases from depleted reservoirs have been restricted to conserve supply for drinking and power generation purposes. At the same time floods are reported in other parts of the country.

Flash floods in Himalayan region


The Himalayan States,  Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as well as Uttar Pradesh, faced cloudbursts, landslips and floods, causing at least 31 deaths. The level in the Chenab, Tawi, Ujh and Basantar rivers approached the danger mark in Jammu. In Himachal Pradesh, flash floods hit Solang Valley. As river water levels rose, many vehicles were stranded on the Manali-Rohtang Pass. One death was reported. The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway was closed. Border Roads Organisation personnel, with the help of local authorities, were providing relief to the affected people. In Uttar Pradesh, two children drowned in the Ghaghra in Azamgarh. The Saryu and the Ghaghra were rising. Houses in villages of Barabanki and Faizabad districts were washed away.
In the worst-hit Uttarakhand, 28 persons including two children and three firefighters were killed and others went missing after being washed away by flash floods in Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts.. A dozen bridges were washed away and debris from landslips blocked most roads including national highways leading to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath and Hemkunt Sahib. The Bhagirathi soared above the danger level in Uttarkashi and the Ganga was just short of the danger mark at Haridwar. An alert was sounded in areas along the Ganga and its tributaries. Those living in low-lying areas were asked to shift.

Odisha

Water levels continued to rise in major rivers including Mahanadi following heavy rains in their catchment areas and release of surplus water from various reservoirs in Odisha. Collectors of all districts have been asked to remain alert as rainfall was likely to continue in different parts of the state for the next two days due to low pressure which might lead to a flood like situation, official sources said.As water level continued to increase steadily in the Mahanadi, as many as 19 sluice gates were opened so far in Hirakud dam on the river located in Sambalpur district, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P.K. Mohapatra said.
The level touched 609.69 feet as against its capacity of 630 ft at Hirakud reservoir where inflow of water was recorded at 4,37,955 cusecs while outflow stood at 3,08,666 cusecs, a senior official said. Despite rising water levels, there was no immediate threat of flood in major rivers like Brahmani and Baitarani which were flowing much below the danger marks, the SRC said.Similarly, water levels were much below the danger marks in Subarnarekha and Budhabalang rivers.
However, due to heavy downpour in the catchment area and release of surplus water from Indravati project, Hati river was in spate in Kalahandi. Two feet high flood water was flowing over the bridge on the river near Junagarh, disrupting road communication. As more water was being released through 5 gates of Mangalpur barrage into Hati River, it was apprehended that the flood situation of Hati and Tel may be aggravated.Heavy downpour in Thuamul Rampur, Jaipatna and Koksara has paralysed normal life as road communication to interior areas of the block has been disrupted.

Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand flood cased 34 deaths. Six people were still missing in the Uttarkashi district, said a top government official. During the past two days, incessant rains battered the hill state triggering landslides, cloud bursts and flash floods which flattened homes and stranded hundreds of pilgrims with the chardham yatra coming to a grinding halt.
The Garhwal region was affected by heavy rains and government issued high alert. The Army has also been alerted in the wake of the heavy rains in the hill state. The government has launched relief and rescue operations and has sent food packets to the affected people. Nearly, 250 families have already been taken to safer areas in the different areas of Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts.Efforts were on to reopen blocked highways leading to chardham yatra as scores of pilgrims were still stranded at various places at Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.The landslides are common in the fragile hills of Garhwal region causing disruption of roads which in turn often cause road accidents leading to fatalities.

Uttar Pradesh

Major rivers in Uttar Pradesh have crossed the danger mark as monsoon remained active over the state bringing continuous rainfall in many areas. Rivers like Sharda and Ghagra have crossed the danger mark due to which flood looms large in various parts, official sources said here. According the report of the Central Water commission, Sharda is flowing one meter above the danger mark at Palliakalan (Kheri) while Ghagra is flowing above the mark at Elgin Bridge (barabanki), Ayodhya (Faizabad) and Turtipar (Ballia). Similarly, river Rapti is flowing above the danger mark at Bhinga (Shravasti), river Budhi Rapti is flowing at danger mark at Siddharthnagar, the report said.
River Ganga is rising in Kannauj, Kanpur dehat, Kanpur, Dalmau, Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Ballia while river Yamuna is flowing at danger mark in Mavi and rising in Naini (Allahabad). River Ramganga is also flowing just below the red mark at Moradabad and rising at Bareilly and Shahjahanpur, it said. A rainfall of 48 mm was received in Bijnor, 38.4 mm at Chatnag (Allahabad), 24 mm at Turtipar (Ballia).
Meanwhile, keeping in view the flood-like situation in many parts of UP, the state government has asked concerned district magistrates to provide timely relief to the affected people.