Rain rampage in N. India; 19 killed in landslide

PTI

New Delhi, 19 September 2010: Flood fury in several parts of the country is reported as an alert has been sounded in Uttarakhand where heavy rains have triggered floods and landslides, wrecking havoc in many hill districts. Nineteen people have died and 14 others are trapped under debris in Almora. Ganga continues to flow above danger mark with heaviest rains the region in last 40 years.

 

Landslides struck several villages in Avalbagh area in Almora district killing six and trapping 14 under the rubble, District Magistrate Subardhan said. Eight people were killed in landslides and cloudbursts in Nainital district prompting authorities to evacuate people from several villages to safer places.

 

Ramola was the worst-hit in the scenic district where four were washed away by surging waters, an official said. Five members of a family, including four children, were buried alive in a house collapse in Hardwar district. The family was asleep when the incident happened, the Disaster Mangagement and Mitigation Centre said.

 

 

An alert had been sounded in Uttarakhand as heavy rains continued to pound the state throwing normal life out of gear. Sitarganj received 193 mm of rains followed by Haldwani (160 mm) and Pantnagar (116 mm), the weather bureau said. Relentless showers had smashed the 39-year-old record for Dehra Dun which had received 2,810 mm of rains since June one this year, it said.

 

The torrential rains have also disrupted the annual Chardham pilgrimage with national highways and roads linking them hit by landslides at a number of places. Two people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh, where flood situation continued to remain grim in several districts due to rise in water level of major rivers at a number of places.

 

Flood situation in trans-Ganga areas of Farrukhabad district turned grim affecting a population of over one lakh with water being discharged in Ganga at Narora. Ganga is flowing above the danger mark at Fatehgarh and Ballia. Yamuna continued to flow above the red mark at Mathura and Auriaya.

 

The minimum temperature plummeted in higher hills and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh with monsoon remaining weak in the region. Kalpa was the coldest with a maximum of 9.6 deg C, while Una was the hottest with a high of 32.6 deg C. Shimla recorded a low of 13.9 deg C.

 

The maximum temperature in most parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh settled between two to three degree Celsius below normal. Hisar was hottest in plains of Punjab and Haryana with a high of 32.5 deg C, which was three notches below normal. Ambala settled at a high of 32 deg C, two notches below normal, while Amritsar recorded a high of 31.6 deg C, two degrees below normal. Chandigarh recorded a high of 31.5 deg C, two notches below normal.