UP Sees 62 Deaths After 70 Hours of Rain; Liquor Bottles Washed Away in Chhattisgarh’s Mahanadi
Heavy Rain Red Alert in Uttarakhand; Ganga Crosses Warning Level in Rishikesh, Thousands of Pilgrims Stranded Due to Landslide in Rudraprayag
In Uttar Pradesh, 45 Cities Hit by 70 Hours of Storms and Rain; Death Toll Reaches 62 Amid Flash-Flood Threat in 22 Districts
Rising Gandak and Kosi Rivers Affect 6,000 Villages in 17 Bihar Districts; 500 Houses Submerged
Liquor Shop Submerged by Swollen Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari; Villagers Gather on Bridge With Nets to Catch Bottles Floating Downstream
New Delhi/Dehradun/Lucknow: Several parts of northern and central India continue to reel under severe weather conditions. In Uttarakhand, incessant torrential rain triggered a massive landslide on the Kedarnath trekking route in Rudraprayag, leaving around 4,000 pilgrims stranded on both sides of the affected stretch. In view of the deteriorating weather and safety concerns, the administration has suspended the Kedarnath pilgrimage with immediate effect, while all helicopter services have also been halted.
In Rishikesh, the Ganga has crossed the warning level, following which movement at all ghats has been completely restricted.
Uttarakhand: Red Alert in Four Major Districts, Fresh Snowfall in Higher Reaches
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of the state.
Red and Orange Alerts: A red alert is in effect for Dehradun, Tehri, Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal districts. An orange alert has been issued for Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Nainital and Rudraprayag, while Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar are under a yellow alert.
Sharp Drop in Temperature: Fresh snowfall has continued for the past two days in the higher Himalayan regions of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh, as well as in the border areas of Uttarkashi, including Nelang-Jadung. The snowfall has brought a sharp chill across the region.
Uttar Pradesh: 70 Hours of Continuous Rain, 62 Deaths in Two Days
Heavy rain and thunderstorms continued across Uttar Pradesh for the third consecutive day.
Loss of Life and Property: Continuous rainfall has been reported for around 70 hours in 45 cities, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Unnao, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Jaunpur. So far, 62 people have reportedly died in incidents involving strong winds, wall collapses and lightning strikes. Winds have been blowing at speeds of 30–40 kmph.
Mandakini River Swells: In Chitrakoot, the Mandakini River is flowing above the danger mark, submerging the steps of several major religious ghats. A serious flash-flood warning has been issued for 22 districts of the state.
Chhattisgarh: Liquor Bottles Swept Away in Mahanadi Floods, People Use Fishing Nets to Collect Them
An unusual scene emerged amid flooding in Dhamtari district.
Floodwater Enters Liquor Shop: In Nari village of the Kurud area, a liquor shop located along the Mahanadi was flooded. A large quantity of liquor and beer bottles was reportedly swept away by the strong current.
People Gather With Nets: After news spread that bottles were floating down the river, villagers and passers-by gathered on the bridge connecting Raipur and Dhamtari. Some people were seen using fishing nets and bamboo poles to retrieve bottles from the fast-flowing water, despite the obvious risks involved.
Bihar: Kosi and Gandak Rivers Cause Widespread Flooding, 6,000 Villages Affected
Although the impact of the cyclonic system ‘Arnab’ has weakened, the situation in Bihar remains serious due to continued rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal.
17 Districts Affected: Rising water levels in the Kosi and Gandak rivers have affected around 6,000 villages across 17 districts, with many areas effectively cut off by floodwaters.
Hundreds of Houses Submerged: Around 500 houses have reportedly been submerged. In Supaul district alone, more than 50 villages are facing severe flooding, while SDRF teams and the local administration are working to deliver relief supplies.
