Red alert in Himachal, Uttarakhand; Delhi-NCR weather warning downgraded
What's the story
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The warning comes as these regions continue to face floods and landslides. Parts of these states are under red alert due to the severity of the situation. Meanwhile, Delhi-NCR has seen its weather warnings downgraded, with light rain expected in areas like Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad.
Safety measures
Schools shut in several states
In light of the heavy rain alerts, several states and cities have decided to shut schools for student safety. Schools in Noida, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Shimla, and Jammu and Kashmir were ordered shut on Wednesday. The district administrations of Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr and Baghpat also declared school closures on Wednesday. Lakshmi Kant Pandey, the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) of Bulandshahr, ordered the holiday for all schools across the education boards up to Class 12 due to severe rain.
Cross-border alert
India warns Pakistan of possible cross-border flooding
Amid the monsoon rains, India has warned Pakistan of possible cross-border flooding once again. As per a PTI report, sources from the Ministry of External Affairs said India has warned about the "high probability" of flooding in the Sutlej River. This comes a week after a similar warning was issued. Though Pakistan was informed, the Pakistan Foreign Office pointed out that the warning was communicated through diplomatic channels rather than the Indus Waters Commission
Infrastructure impact
Landslides and blocked roads in Himachal Pradesh
In Himachal Pradesh, heavy rainfall has led to landslides and blocked roads. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is affected by rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir. The state has also seen a significant number of road blockages with Mandi (282), Shimla (255), Chamba (239), Kullu (205), and Sirmaur district (140) being the worst-hit areas.
State crisis
Punjab reports over 30 deaths due to rainfall
Punjab has also been severely affected by the rainfall, with at least 30 deaths reported due to rain-related incidents. Around 3.5 lakh people across 23 districts have been impacted by flash floods. Gurdaspur is the worst-hit district with 324 villages affected, followed by Amritsar (135 villages) and Hoshiarpur (119 villages).
Flood alert
Yamuna breaches danger mark in Delhi
In Delhi, the Yamuna River has breached the danger mark, reaching a record high of 206.03 meters at Old Railway Bridge. This has prompted evacuations from low-lying areas and emergency measures across the National Capital Region (NCR). Areas such as Monastery Market near Kashmere Gate, Vasudev Ghat, and Yamuna Bazaar have been evacuated due to flooding fears.