Relief and rescue operations are in full swing in Uttarakhand following devastation caused by flash floods yesterday. The State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna along with Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat made an aerial survey of affected areas today. State Cabinet Minister Pritam Singh Panwar is monitoring the relief work. Asiganga and Uplatakwar areas have been cut off. At least 31 people have been killed. Water levels in Alaknanda and Yamuna have reached the danger mark and the level in Bagirathi has started receeding.
Efforts are on to restore power supply which has been cut off due to damage to hydel projects.
In UP, several rivers continue their rising trend due to heavy rainfall in their catchments. The river Ghaghra is flowing 57 centimetres above the danger mark in Barabanki. The river is flowing above the red mark in Faizabad and Basti. AIR Correspondent reports that the river Sharda is swollen due to additional release of water from Banbasa barrage in Pilibhit district.
In Himachal Pradesh, traffic movement has been temporarily restored on Manali-Leh national highway which was damaged by flash flood in Beas river near Palchaan on Friday night. However, the river is still flowing above the danger mark and heavy vehicles going from Kullu to Manali are not allowed to take right side of river bank. Meanwhile, Kullu District administration has warned people not to venture in the river.
The flood in the river triggered by cloud burst had claimed one life and washed away a major stretch of Manali-Leh highway, besides damaging property worth crores of rupees.
In Haryana , the Water level at Hathnikund Barrage in Yamunanagar have come down as compared to Saturday as nearby hills recorded no rainfall today. The water level at Hathnikund Barrage is recorded at 29735 cusecs today evening. Out of which 17000 cusecs of water has been released in western Yamuna canal and 3200 cusecs of water has been released in a canal which leads to Uttar Pradesh.
In Odisha, major rivers like the Mahanadi, the Indarvati, the Baitarani and the Kolab including a number of rivulets are swelling following incessant rain. AIR correspondent reports, the rising of the river waters of many rivers to their respective danger levels, coupled with the MET department’s forecast of heavy rains in the state during the next 24 hours may carry a probability of flood in the state, but thankfully enough, besides causing minor dislocation in vehicular traffic and human habitation in a couple of places, the present spell of the rains has not played any havoc. Talking to AIR news this evening, the special relief commissioner Mr. P.K. Mohapatra has categorically stated that there is no flood situation in the state at present, adding that the government is keeping a close watch on the situation. With the state government taking preventive measures to preclude any evil fall-out of flood, the state, networked by rivers, may hopefully go unscathed by the downpours.
