Tanveer Singh Kapoor, Pune
India Meteorological Department (IMD), on Sunday, July 16, issued an orange alert in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Jharkhand. IMD stated that Odisha and Jharkhand will likely receive heavy rainfall on July 16.
In a tweet, IMD also mentioned that Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will likely have heavy showers from July 16 to 17.
Vikram Singh, Director Meteorological Department, told ANI, “There will possibly be more rainfall in Uttarakhand on July 16 and 17. A red alert has been issued in Dehradun, Pauri, Tehri, and Haridwar districts. An orange alert has been issued in the rest of the districts.”
“The rainfall would slightly decrease on July 18,” he added.
Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand has resulted in several landslides, blocking roads and highways and stranding scores of people. On Sunday, a senior official said the Balwakot-Dharchula road in Dharchula was blocked due to a landslide.
The Yamunotri Highway number 123 was blocked on Saturday due to falling debris near Chami village in Pauri Tehsil of the Garhwal district. As stated by officials, dozens of vehicles were left stuck on both sides of the road.
The National Disaster Response Force’s (NDRF) flood rescue operation continued in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Uttarakhand.
A total of 58 NDRF teams have been deployed in flood-affected states for rescue and relief operations in coordination with State administrations, with 16 being deployed in Delhi, 11 in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand each, and 10 in Punjab and Haryana each.