الشارقة في 25 يناير/ وام / أكدت القيادة العامة لشرطة الشارقة جاهزية عناصرها على مدار الساعة للتعامل مع الحالة الجوية التي تشهدها الإمارة خلال هذه الفترة وذلك بناء على تقرير المركز الوطني للأرصاد.
وعملت القيادة العامة لشرطة الشارقة على اتخاذ حزمة من الإجراءات الفورية المتمثلة في توزيع الدوريات المرورية على الطرق الداخلية والخارجية وفقاً لمقتضيات الحالة الجوية والتنسيق مع الشركاء الاستراتيجيين في تعزيز السلامة المرورية على الطرق.
وأهابت الشرطة بأفراد الجمهور التعامل مع الحالة الجوية بمنتهى المسؤولية وتوخي أقصى درجات الحيطة والحذر والابتعاد عن أماكن جريان الأودية والسيول وتجمع المياه وترك مسافة كافية بين المركبات وعدم الانشغال بغير الطريق تجنباً لوقوع الحوادث، داعية إلى الإبلاغ الفوري عن أي حوادث عبر رقم البلاغات الطارئة 999.
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Motorists are urged to exercise caution and be aware of changing weather conditions…reports Asian Lite News
National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has anticipated a change in weather conditions as a deepening upper-air trough brings scattered showers and strong winds starting this Sunday.
In an advisory tonight, NCM forecasts an increase in cloud cover with the potential for light to moderate rainfall. There is a chance of heavier downpours with intervals of lightning and thunder, leading to a noticeable drop in temperatures.
While the rain is expected to ease by Tuesday evening, the report warned against potential hazards.
Strong winds are also anticipated, shifting from south-easterly to north-easterly and eventually northwesterly. These winds, described as moderate to fresh and potentially reaching strong gusts, could cause blowing dust and sand storms, significantly reducing visibility on the roads.
Motorists are urged to exercise caution and be aware of changing weather conditions.
The impact will be felt at sea as well, with the Arabian Gulf experiencing light to moderate waves that could become rough to very rough at times, particularly during periods of heavy cloud cover. The Oman Sea can also expect rough seas, especially in areas with convective clouds.
Oman welcomes rain as gift of nature, many took selfies and reels, reports Vinod Raghavan
MUSCAT: Rains lashed for the second day in the Sultanate of Oman, bringing to a halt of all activities, as the authorities did not wanted the people to face any hardships due to water logging or traffic snarls.
Traffic snarls are not only seen in big cities of the world, but it can cause road blocks even on the Sultan Qaboos Street on any rainy day.
But, the difference between big cities and Oman is you can’t hear any honking or racing their vehicles in the Sultanate, but they patiently waits to move the snarls at their own pace.
The MET Department had already announced earlier that two days Sunday-Monday will be raining, but as human nature, one cannot resist of not leaving their home to fulfill the responsibility towards their work too.
Besides, rain it was a day for International cycling race – 13th edition of Tour of Oman, which also caused the blockage of roads in Muscat governorate, but the expats and nationals took it in their stride.
While, many taking advantage of public holiday and enjoying the rare rain in Oman, didn’t wanted to miss the nature’s gift.
Corniche in Muttrah was a buzzed with people taking selfies and reels.
Anita Rajan, a local actor resident of CBD, Ruwi, has been vying to shoot the famous Bollywood number Rim Jhim Ghire Sawan, Sulag Sulag Jaye Mun, Bheege Aaj Is Mausam Mein, Lagi Kaisi Yeah Agan picturised on Amitabh Bachchan and Moushami Chatterjee in the 80s capturing the rain in Mumbai’s scenic places with sea, traffic and open parks, was lucky enough to capture various locations of Muscat.
Accompanied along-with Kabeer Yousuf, known journalist and actor, helped her in shooting the song at the picturesque Corniche against the roaring Arabian sea.
Open up your windows to the pitter patter outside. Let the cool wind gush in with the drizzle, let it rain! The monsoon signifies the brightest hues, spellbinding aromas and fried food cravings. Here are some healthy recipes curated by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa.
KHATTE MEETHE ALOO
Ingredients:
Potatoes boiled
Desi ghee
Cumin seeds
Turmeric
Fresh anardana
Sendha salt
Green chillies
Ginger
Fresh corrionder
Lemon juice
Method:
Heat ghee in a pan
Crackle cumin seeds, add potatoes and stir fry for two three minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except anar and lemon
Stir fry for another 2 minutes
Finish with fresh anardana and lemon juice
Serve hot
TOMATO AND TOFU SOUP
Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Tofu
Basil
Cinnamon stick
Ginger
Star anise
Vegetable oil
Sugar
Salt
Method:
Heat oil in a pan
Add cinnamon stick and star anise. Add mashed ginger.
Now add roughly chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook.
Halfway through add basil. Cover and cook on sim till tomatoes are soft and mushy
Add seasoning.
Fine strain Serve hot with tofu
HARE MATTER KI SHAMMI
Ingredients:
Green Peas
Potato Pahari
Ginger Chopped
Green Chilli
Olive Oil
Coriander Leaves
Chilli Powder
Black Cumin
Salt to taste
Method:
Blanch the green peas.
Put olive oil in a pan, add black cumin to it.
Then add green peas and sauté it till the green peas are dry
Take it out of heat and let it cool.
When it’s cool, add boiled and mashed potatoes, chopped coriander, chopped ginger, salt and green chilli.
Mix the above ingredients well and make tikki
Take oil in a fry pan and stir fry the tikkis
Serve hot with sauce or mint chutney
KARELA SEEKH KEBAB
Ingredients:
Ghee
Cumin seed
Garlic, chopped
Ginger, chopped
Bittergourd, grated
Beans, chopped
Spinach, chopped
Grated potato
Black pepper
Almonds, crushed
Khoya
Corn
Rroasted gram flour
Salt as required
Method:
Put desi ghee in the cooking pan
Add cumin seeds, garlic, ginger and sauté till golden brown
Add karela, beans, potatoes, black pepper and salt
Let it cook for about a couple of minutes. Then add almonds, khoya, and corn.
Now add roasted gram flour to make the mixture into dough.
Settle the dough on the tandoor rod for roasting and put it inside the tandoor.
Once roasted, serve with or mint and chilli chutney.
CM Kejriwal said that the entry of heavy vehicles, except those providing essential services have been banned during this period…reports Asian Lite News
Delhi in uncharted waters as Yamuna continues to flow at 208.62 metres, above the danger mark, however, no changes were recorded in the water levels of the river in the past two hours, an official statement said on Thursday.
The water level at 1 pm and 2 pm was recorded as 208.62 metres; it was found to be the same even at 3 pm. Earlier today, the Yamuna River in the national capital continued to flow over the danger mark, with the water level reaching 208.46 metres.
Further, according to officials, the water level of the Yamuna, on the Old Railway Bridge, was recorded at 208.46 metres at 7 a.m. on Thursday.
Looking at the grim situation, the Delhi Government on Thursday announced that all Delhi schools and colleges will remain closed till Sunday and government offices, except those providing essential services, will resort to work from home.
CM Kejriwal said that the entry of heavy vehicles, except those providing essential services have been banned during this period.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said that there is a possibility of water entering the Nigam Bodh Ghat, which could hamper cremation activities, adding that people are advised not to venture to the open-air cremation ground and use some other ground instead.
Meanwhile the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted that South-West Delhi and adjoining areas is likely to receive light to moderate intensity rain on Thursday.
Reguesting Delhiites, residing in flood affected areas, to not leave their houses if not essential, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Yamuna River’s water level will reach its peak by 3-4 pm Thursday and then it will start receeding.
“I would like to request people to not step out if it is not essential and resort to Work from Home. We have closed the schools in affected areas. We are also trying to provide all facilities at the relief camps. As per the CWC (Central Water Commission) prediction, the peak (of river Yamuna’s water level) will reach by 3-4 pm today and it will then start going down,” Kejriwal said.
He further informed that about 25 per cent water supply in the national capital has been affected due to the flood situation but assured that the water supply in these areas will restart.
Over 23,000 people evacuated
A total of 23,692 people were evacuated on Thursday from the adjacent areas of the Yamuna River in Delhi, as the water level continues to rise, continuously surpassing the danger mark, an official statement said.
The Delhi Government reported that 21,092 people are currently residing in tents and shelters. Additionally, 12 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued 1,022 individuals on Thursday. Meanwhile, the water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi decreased to 208.63 meters at 10 p.m., providing some relief.
NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahidi said that the situation in the national capital has improved.
“The situation (in Delhi) has improved from yesterday. The NDRF’s seven teams have been deployed in Delhi. People have been evacuated from the affected areas. The situation is under control, and it might improve by tomorrow,” he said.
Several buses and trucks were stranded following the ban on entry of Heavy goods Vehicles (essential and emergency services are exempted) in the city as the rise in the water level of the Yamuna River leads to a flood-like situation in several areas of the city.
Delhi LG chairs meeting
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday chaired the meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to review the prevailing flooding situation in the national capital.
LG Saxena who is also the Chairperson of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) chaired the meeting in which several decisions were taken. “In the meeting it was decided that schools and colleges / universities across Delhi, Non-essential government offices will remain closed till Sunday, July 16, 2023.Private establishments and offices are advised to work from home.The interstate buses coming to ISBT Kashmere Gate will be stopped at Singhu Border. From there Delhi Transport Corporation buses will provide ferry to passengers from there.Crematoriums in the vicinity of those closed down due to rising water levels, to remain in state of preparedness,” an official statement issued by Raj Niwas said.
Business and commercial establishments in and around Kashmere Gate to be asked to close till the situation improves, statement said. According to official notification people who have been evacuated out of the flooded areas to be shifted to neighbouring Government school buildings. Rationalization of water supply in the city, in light of closing down of WTPs at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla to ensure drinking water supply.
Patiala, July 11 (ANI): National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel during the rescue operation of people stuck in the flood-affected Rishi Colony area after heavy monsoon rains caused rapid rise in the water level of Badi Nadi river, in Patiala on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)
Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali….reports Asian Lite News
Incessant rain, which has led to flash floods and landslides, has caused significant damage in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali.
Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the flash floods have damaged the national highway and disrupted water and electricity supply.
“The Manali Vidhansabha constituency has suffered significant damage due to flash floods. Houses, land, and gardens have been destroyed, and the national highway is damaged due to flash floods. The link road adjacent to the bridge is also badly damaged. There is no net connectivity, electricity and water. We have made arrangements to provide food to the stranded tourists,” Negi said.
Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali.
Internet services and electricity supply have been disrupted due to the flood in the area.
Neha, a tourist from, Ludhiana, Punjab said, “We want to go home. We were scheduled to return on Sunday but we are stuck due to flood.”
Another tourist, Sanjeev Arora, said they have been trying to go back for the past two days.
“We are here in Manali since 5th July. The main track is damaged. We have been trying to go back for the past two days. The internet services and electricity supply is disrupted,” he added.
Meanwhile, Himachal Chief Minister’s Office informed that 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area have been evacuated so far.
“So far 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area of Kullu district have been evacuated. On the way at one point named Dunkhara, there is a heavy landslide and one poclain and two machines have been deployed round the clock to clear the Kasol-Bhuntar road. A team of the district administration has reached Kasol. More than 2200 vehicles have passed through Kullu from Manali so far and food is being distributed to them at Ramshilla Chowk. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is closely monitoring the situation”, the CMO statement said.
Speaking on the relief and rescue operations being conducted in the state amidst heavy rainfall, acting DGP of Himachal Pradesh Satwant Atwal Trivedi said that evacuation procedure is underway with 1000 vehicles already having left from Kullu – Manali and are enroute to Chandigarh.
The Nurpur police on Wednesday informed that water will be released from Pandoh Dam (Mandi) from 6 pm today to 3 pm tomorrow due to incessant rains in the district.
“People are urged not to go near low-lying areas like rivers, drains and dam areas for the next few days”, the Nurpur Police said.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Manali Bhuvneshwar Gaur hit out at the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over the poor construction of the highways which were washed away during the flash floods.
Red alert for Uttarakhand
Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for July 11 and 12.
Earlier today, four persons died and 10 people were injured due to falling debris on Gangotri National Highway near Gangnani in Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the state administration is on full alert mode in view of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) heavy rainfall alert in the region.
Rain fury in Punjab
Swinging into action to take stock of the relief and rescue measures going on at the grassroots, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday conducted a tour of rain-affected areas and interacted with people evacuated from low-lying areas in the aftermath of downpour.
The Chief Minister said the situation was alarming but the government was making efforts to minimise the loss of lives. Mann said teams of the NDRF have been roped in for rescue work but the Indian Army has not been yet pressed in officially for this work.
The Chief Minister said he had a word with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which he apprised him about the entire situation. “As of now Central assistance is not required for relief and rescue work as the situation is under control.”
However, Mann said “if need arises, then help will be sought from the Union government to tackle the situation”.
The Chief Minister also said that a special ‘girdwari’ will be conducted to ascertain the loss of crops, houses and others. Detailed instructions will be issued to the Deputy Commissioners to immediately carry out ‘girdwari’ in the areas lashed by rains to ascertain the damage.
Mann assured the people that the government was committed to safeguarding their interests against nature’s fury.
The Chief Minister said an elaborate flood protection mechanism has been put in place to safeguard the life and property of people.
He said that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) are expediting the relief work in their respective districts so as to provide succor to the masses. Mann said an alert has already been issued in low-lying areas and help is being provided to the needy people.
Meanwhile, flood control rooms have been set up in all districts of the state and numbers have been made public.
Mann said the officials have been directed to ensure immediate action on any sort of distress call by people in case of emergency.
The weather office has predicted more rain for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi and its adjoining areas…reports Asian Lite News
Heavy rains in several parts of north India has disrupted lives of lakhs of people who live in the region. Several towns and cities remain inundated in waist-deep water as incessant rains lash Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation as landslides and flash floods, and held talks with the chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. He has assured help to both the states on behalf of the central government.
“Spoke to senior Ministers and officials, and took stock of the situation in the wake of excessive rainfall in parts of India. Local administrations, NDRF and SDRF teams are working to ensure the well-being of those affected,” PMO said in a tweet.
The weather office has predicted more rain for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi and its adjoining areas.
In worst-hit Himachal Pradesh, a red alert has been sounded and all schools and colleges will remain closed for two days. All major rivers are in spate, bringing normal life to a standstill. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged people to stay home for the next 24 hours and cooperate with authorities.
Frightening images of the chaos unleashed by the rain — cars floating like paper boats on flooded roads, muddy waters gushing into residential areas, temples and other structures submerged on the banks by the swollen rivers — were shared online by people from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi.
In cities and towns across the region, many roads and residential areas were submerged in knee-deep water.
Red alert in Himachal
Himachal Pradesh, the worst hit among all, has recorded a monetary loss of Rs 785.51 crore. In a statement issued by Himachal Pradesh state authorities on Monday, the death toll in the state has been reported at 72, with 8 people missing and 92 injured. 39 landslide incidents have been reported, along with 1 cloud burst and 29 flash floods, the report stated.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for 10 of 12 Himachal districts including Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra and Kullu. All major rivers, including Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Swan and Chenab are in spate.
Solan received 135 mm of rain on Sunday, breaking a 50-year-old record of 105 mm of rain in a day in 1971, while Una received the highest rainfall since 1993.
Officials said rail operations on the Shimla-Kalka route, a UNESCO world heritage site, have been suspended till tomorrow as landslides blocked the track at several places.
“We have rescued 80 people today. The situation is bad as the water level of the river is rising. Our team is on alert and we are reviewing the areas alongside the river Beas,” SSP Mandi, Soumya Sambasivan said.
‘Flood unlikely in Delhi’
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today chaired a high-level meeting to discuss waterlogging caused by rain in the city and Yamuna’s rising water levels. He said flooding was unlikely in the national capital. Kejriwal said, if needed, the administration will shift the people from low-lying areas to safe spots as the water level of the Yamuna River is set to cross the danger mark by tomorrow. A total of 16 control rooms are active in Delhi.
Himachal Pradesh has been witnessing heavy rainfall over the last few days causing flooding in the Beas river. The gushing water is sweeping away bridges and homes, and is causing wide-spread devastation. More than a dozen people have died in north India due to the rain. pic.twitter.com/lseGgf9JXJ
“As per CWC, River Yamuna river flowing at 203.58 metres in Delhi. It is expected to reach 205.5 metres tomorrow morning. Also, according to weather predictions, the water level in Yamuna is not expected to rise too high. If Yamuna crosses the 206 metre mark, then we will start evacuation along the banks of the river,” he detailed.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Uttarakhand, an orange alert was sounded in all districts as water levels rose in all major rivers, including the Ganga. More showers are likely in the next two days.
At least nine people have been killed in rain-related incidents across the state. On Sunday, three pilgrims drowned in the Ganga after their jeep fell into the river amid a landslide near Gular on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway.
Red alert in Ladakh
Two people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir after a landslide hit a passenger bus in Doda district, while in Ladakh’s Kargil district, a man was killed after his vehicle got crushed under a boulder that rolled down a hillock along the Leh-Srinagar national highway.
There were also reports of snowfall from high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh, where a red alert has been issued for heavy rain.
Pradeep Kanojia, an electric shop owner in Ahmedabad, told that his shop got submerged in water after the heavy rainfall…reports Asian Lite News
Gujarat is witnessing heavy rain since the onset of the monsoon season and the rainfall has wreaked havoc in several parts of the state, including Ahmedabad – the city that has not seen such a rainfall in last 20 years. It rained more than 500 mm in a single day here.
People have suffered losses and damages worth in lakhs and crores due to waterlogging and rains, and are either blaming the government or are hoping for some aid from the government.
Pradeep Kanojia, an electric shop owner in Ahmedabad, told that his shop got submerged in water after the heavy rainfall.
According to Kanojia, there was severe waterlogging outside the boundary wall of the complex, where his and nine other shops are located. The wall collapsed and all the water rushed into the complex, submerging the shops.
“I have a small shop so I don’t have any kind of insurance. My shop was under water for more than 24 hours. No officials came to visit us at that time, or they did not help us. Then Congress worker Rajesh Patel helped us with the JCB machine. A BJP person helped with a pumping machine. And now, the civic body’s officials have visited us today (Wednesday). Our complex chairman and secretary are initiating the repair work (of the wall and other damages), which would cost them Rs 8 to 10 lakhs. I have lost goods worth Rs 4 to 5 lakhs individually. I also do repair work for electronics items; I lost those goods of my customers too,” he elaborated.
“We were trying to recover from the losses we had during the lockdowns, then this inflation, and now rain. It will take two to three years for us to recover. We badly need some government help, we are facing this situation only because of the negligence of the civic body. We hope that the government will provide some help as elections are approaching,” Kanojia expressed.
Jayendra Tanna, President of Gujarat Traders Federation, has said, “Government has a policy to give relief to the affected small businesses because of such natural calamity.”
“A committee under the chairmanship of Collector has to be formed to assess the loss as soon as possible,” Ahmedabad Chamber of Commerce Welfare Foundation has demanded.
The IMD has also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official said…reports Asian Lite News
Rainfall in Mumbai and neighbouring districts is likely to intensify on Friday. Rains lashed the financial capital for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for Friday.
A red alert indicates that heavy rainfall in a few places and extremely heavy rainfall (above 204.5 mm in 24 hours) at isolated places is very likely.
The IMD has also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued an order prohibiting people from visiting the city beaches on the days for which the IMD has given an ‘orange’ or ‘red’ alert warning of heavy rainfall.
It, however, said that the beaches will remain open for people between 6 am and 10 am on such days. This step was taken to prevent incidents of drowning in the Arabian Sea, an official said.
“It is hereby directed that during the period of orange and red alert by India Meteorological Department (IMD), the beaches in Mumbai shall be open for entry for general public between 6 am to 10 am only,” the order issued by municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal stated.
Necessary instructions should be placed on all such beaches to inform the people of these restrictions immediately, it added.
The official said that the order has been issued in the wake of the heavy rainfall prediction and in order to prevent the incidents of drowning incidents.
On Thursday, Mumbai’s civic body banned people from visiting beaches on the days for which the weather forecasting agency has predicted heavy rainfall.
In many areas, waterlogging led to huge traffic snarls and people were seen wading through brown and black murky water which flooded the streets.
Bus services and commuter trains – which are the lifeline of the city’s transport system – were also disrupted, leaving people stranded on stations for hours.
Heavy rains have also battered Mumbai’s neighbouring districts. Traffic on a key national highway connecting Mumbai to the tourist state of Goa was diverted after a landslide in Chiplun city.
Authorities said that work to remove the debris was underway, but that the movement of vehicles along the route would be affected for least two days, news channel NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, the IMD has also issued flood alerts for the southern state of Kerala and parts of Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh amid incessant rains.
The met department has also predicted ‘heavy to very heavy rainfall’ in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg for today. It had also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official told news agency PTI. As per the forecasts, sea waves as high as 12 feet could be seen in Mumbai today.
The Western Railways, in its latest update, has said that as of now, all local trains are running on time. Train services on the Central Railway route were impacted for several hours yesterday following a wall collapse on a track. In the past few days, reports of traffic jams and long queues of vehicles due to waterlogging have also surfaced. Coupled with the diversion of BEST bus routes and delay in Mumbai local trains, the daily commuters are bearing the brunt of the monsoon in the financial capital.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has prohibited people from visiting the city beaches on the days for which the weather forecasting agency has predicted heavy rainfall. The beaches, however, will remain open for people between 6 am and 10 am on such days.
Meanwhile, the water supply has also been affected in several parts of the city owing to damage in pipelines. “Due to a water pipeline burst in front of Parsi Gymkhana in Dadar, water supply will not be available in some areas of Ward FN & Ward FS till 10am on Friday,” the civic body informed in a tweet.
As dozens of deaths were reported, the Balochistan government imposed a state of emergency in the provincial capital…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said current monsoon rainfall has claimed 77 lives, with the highest 39 deaths reported from Balochistan province.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said, “The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has prepared a national monsoon contingency plan.”
Hundreds of homes were destroyed due to heavy rainfall, Geo News reported.
Terming the deaths in rain-related incidents a national tragedy, he said, “We need a comprehensive plan to avert these fatalities.”
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rainfall till July 8.
Intermittent moderate rain-thunderstorms – isolated heavy falls at sometimes – were expected in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, and Tando Allayar till July 8.
Rainfall is also likely in Tando Muhammad Khan, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Dadu, Noshero Feroz, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Sukkur districts, and Karachi.
As dozens of deaths were reported, the Balochistan government imposed a state of emergency in the provincial capital.
Twenty-five people were killed in separate rain-related accidents in Balochistan province, the director-general of the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) has said.
The torrential rains started lashing various districts of the province on Monday and the downpour has continued, resulting in a number of accidents. The provincial capital Quetta declared a calamity-hit area after eight people including kids died in the rain-triggered accidents, Xinhua news agency reported.
Director-General Naseer Ahmad Nasar said that over 200 houses were damaged and about 2,000 animals perished in heavy rains.
He said that the heavy downpour also caused flash-flooding in large water drainage and inundated several low-lying areas.
He added that over 40 people were injured in the rains and the critically wounded people were being treated in various hospitals in the province.
According to local media reports, several people including five coal mine laborers, a shepherd with his cattle, and two kids were swept away by flash floods in the province.
Rescue and relief operation is underway in the province, with the district administration distributing food items and other necessities to rain-affected families.
The monsoon rains are expected to continue till Thursday in various districts of the province, according to the PDMA.
NH 5 has been closed since morning due to a landslide near Broni nullah at Jhakri, following which the connectivity road to Kinnaur has been closed…reports Asian Lite News
A woman was killed while two others were injured due to landslides following heavy rain in the last 24 hours in Himachal Pradesh. Since Tuesday night, incidents of cloudbursts and landslides have been reported at many places in the state.
Landslides occurred in Dhalli area of Shimla as incessant heavy rain continued late on Tuesday night. A young woman sleeping on the roadside was killed due to the landslide, while two others were injured. The injured are being treated at Indira Gandhi Medical College & Hospital (IGMC), Shimla.
As per information, the girls, who are originally from Haryana, sold medicines on the roadside. The deceased has been identified as Kareena (14), while Asha (16) and Kulwinder (14) were injured in the landslide.
A cloudburst was reported from Choj Nala in Manikaran Valley of Kullu district. According to eyewitnesses, property worth crores of rupees, including the bridge built in Choz village and the houses of the people, has been washed away in the rain.
How much damage has been done or how many people have been washed away has not been estimated yet, there is still a flood situation in this area. The administration is waiting for the water to recede.
NH 5 has been closed since morning due to a landslide near Broni nullah at Jhakri, following which the connectivity road to Kinnaur has been closed.
A flash flood has also been reported in Thungi Khad in Morang, Kinnaur. At present, the administration is engaged in relief and rescue work.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday reviewed the administration’s preparedness to tackle various emergency situations arising out of heavy rain in the state with the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all the districts through video conferencing from Shimla.
The Chief Minister directed the officers to make foolproof arrangements for managing disasters that are arising due to heavy rains. He said that an adequate number of people and machinery should be deployed in natural calamities-prone areas.
He said, “The rains have increased over the past few days and naturally, there are incidences of landslides, floods and cloudbursts during the rainy season in Himachal Pradesh. One such incident has happened in an area of Kullu district. The information that has been received in the matter is that five people are missing and there has been damage. The camps which were set up by the locals (for the tourists) as well as the tourists, have also been damaged.”
He has directed the administration to take appropriate steps in view of the security at camping sites situated on the banks of rivers in the state. He assured that strict action will be taken against the erring officers involved in the laxity in work related to disaster management. He directed to ensure the availability of Quick Reaction Team and Emergency Operation Centres that would be functional round the clock at the district and sub-division level for disaster management.
He also ordered that the roads affected due to landslides or heavy rains should be repaired immediately.
The Chief Minister also directed the officials to encourage the tourists to take precautions while visiting disaster-prone areas, so that the tourists do not face any inconvenience and their safety can be ensured.
“If an untoward incident is reported, we would rush help to the spot. With the prospect of heavy rainfall in the coming days, there is some risk. We’d stay on high alert so that timely action can be taken,” he added.
