The monsoons continued to create havoc in several places in the country with the BMC declaring closure of all Mumbai schools and colleges after IMD issued a “red alert”, even as extremely heavy rainfall lashed Telangana while Himachal Pradesh districts were placed on “orange alert”.
The weather department has issued an “orange alert” for heavy rainfall in nine districts of Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, Solan and Mandi. Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Jairam Thakur, spoke about his visit to the flood-affected Sainj Valley, stating, “Our road infrastructure is extensively damaged, and it is not possible to restore it without the help of the central government.”
The monsoon is expected to continue till September, and so far, Himachal Pradesh has received 530 mm of rainfall, which is considerably high. An advisory and the orange alert have been issued, warning about the possibility of landslides and fog in the region. The state has already suffered losses of Rs 5,350 crore and recorded 168 fatalities in rain-related incidents and road accidents since the onset of the monsoon till July 25.
A cloudburst in Rampur sub-division of Shimla district washed away a school, five houses, and agricultural land, while a landslide blocked National Highway 5 near Jhakri and Joeri areas, officials said on Wednesday. Since the monsoon began on June 24, Himachal Pradesh has seen 652 houses completely damaged, 6,686 partially damaged, along with 236 shops and 2,037 cow sheds.
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday declared the closure of all schools and colleges in Mumbai after the IMD forecasted a “red alert” in the city, indicating extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. Mumbai experienced its wettest July ever on Wednesday, with a record 1557.8 mm rainfall so far. The previous record was 1502 mm in July 2020. The ‘orange’ alert was upgraded to ‘red’ due to incessant heavy rains, valid till Thursday afternoon, covering Mumbai city and suburbs.
The weather office in Telangana has issued a “red alert” in 10 districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy showers very likely to occur in Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Mahabubabad. Amid incessant rainfall in several parts of the state, Telangana’s Mulugu is reeling under floods. The NDRF and SDRF have been conducting rescue and relief operations in the area.
Meanwhile in Assam, in a heartbreaking incident, the Brahmaputra River’s floodwaters have wreaked havoc on Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, resulting in the loss of nine precious animal lives, including two one-horned rhinos. As the water level slowly recedes, forest officials and wildlife authorities remain vigilant, closely monitoring the flood situation. Arun Vignesh CS, the Divisional Forest Officer of Kaziranga National Park, expressed the somber news that the floods had claimed the lives of nine animals. Among the casualties were two rhinos, whose tragic demise adds to the concern for the already vulnerable population of the majestic one-horned rhinoceros. Additionally, one buffalo and a deer met a tragic fate, drowning in the floodwaters that submerged the park.