7 dead in Rajasthan, over 80 lakh affected in Bihar as heavy rain triggers flood-like situation

The Central Water Commission has issued a flood advisory for several states, warning some hill districts in the north of likely flashfloods and landslides.

As heavy rains batter vast swathes of the country, the threat of floods has increased in many states. From the eastern part of the country, which has been experiencing rainfall and flood for over a month now, the southwest monsoon is now moving along the western border where heavy downpour has been forecast in many states.

People living near the banks of Krishna River carry household things as they move towards a safer place after flood-like situation in Maharashtra’s Sangli district on Monday.(ANI Photo)

In Rajasthan, seven people drowned in flooded water bodies, and the weather department has forecast heavy rainfall in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa (all on the western side of the country). The situation continues to be grim in Bihar, where more than 80 lakh people are affected and 25 have died in flood-related incidents.

In the Northeast, three districts of Assam - Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Baksa - are still inundated and 11,900 people are reeling under the impact of the flood.

Here are the latest developments on flood-like situation across the country:

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast enhanced rainfall activity in northwest India, including Western Himalayan region, till August 20. East Rajasthan could experience extremely heavy rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, the IMD said.

• In view of heavy rain forecast in Rajasthan, chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday directed officials to make all arrangements. He told the officials to explore possibilities of constructing small dams in various catchment areas. Authorities have deployed teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in three districts and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been kept ready in 20 districts in view of possibilities of heavy rains. Churu and Nagaur have received maximum rainfall so far, authorities said.

• The Central Water Commission (CWC) issued a flood advisory for several states, warning some hill districts in the north of likely flashfloods and landslides. The advisory for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh said there is likelihood of rise in water levels in several rivers including the Ganga, Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, Ghaggar and Yamuna due to the heavy to very rains forecast there.

• In Bihar, 16 districts are now affected by floods. The water level in Ganga continued to rise on Monday in Buxar, Munger, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and Digha Ghat in Patna, as per a bulletin issued by the state Water Resources Department. Several other rivers, including Baghmati, Burhi Gandak, Punpun, Khiroi and Ghaghra, are flowing above the danger level at different places in the state.

• In Uttar Pradesh, 15 districts are hit by floods. The Sharda river at Palia Kalan in Lakhimpur Kheri and the Saryu and the Ghaghra at Barabanki’s Elgin Bridge, Ayodhya and Ballia’s Turtipar are flowing above the danger mark. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to maintain social distancing in relief camps. He asked them to segregate those who have fever, cold and headache and get them tested for Covid-19, if required.

• West Madhya Pradesh is also likely to get heavy to very rains for next 3-4 days and there is a likelihood of rise in water levels in rivers such as Chambal, Mahi, Sabarmati, Kalisindh and Banas. The Indravati River is likely to rise in Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh, according to forecasts by respective regional weather centres.

• Heavy downpour since August 13 has created a flood-like situation in several parts of Odisha, snapping road connectivity, damaging mud houses and crops, and killing two people, officials said. The state is likely to get more downpour over the next few days with a fresh low-pressure area brewing over the Bay of Bengal. Odisha has been battered by heavy rainfall due to three back-to-back low-pressure areas so far this month.

• In Andhra Pradesh, Godavari river is swelling by the hour, inching towards a record flood level. Over 55 villages in West Godavari district and about 100 in East Godavari district remain marooned or inundated. The river’s water level is rising to dangerous levels in neighbouring Telangana too.

• In Maharashtra, water level of the Krishna, Warna and Koyna rivers in Sangli has risen due to continuous rain. An orange alert has been sounded for Kolhapur and Satara districts for Tuesday after the regional weather department predicted heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places.

• Several areas in Karnataka, especially in the northern belt, are also staring at flood-like situation as rain resumed after a brief respite. Districts that come under the Krishna basin are threatened by the rising water level. Several parts in the border district of Belagavi are submerged, and low-lying areas, roads and bridges and crops are under water in parts of Gadag, Bagalkote and Dharwad.