The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in many parts of the country, including Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh till July 9.
Red alert for seven Himachal Pradesh districts
After landslides and flash floods blocked several roads in Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Solan, the IMD in Shimla has issued a red alert for seven districts of Himachal Pradesh. It issued a warning of extremely heavy rainfall on July 8 and 9.
The weather office also cautioned about the possibility of flash floods along water bodies in Kangra, Chamba, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Sirmaur, Solan and Una districts, and a disruption of water, power and communication facilities in the low and mid hills.
A 'red' alert of extremely heavy rains implies the possibility of more than 204 mm of downpour in a day. An 'orange' warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall has also been issued for Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan and Lahaul and Spiti for July 8 and 9. The Met has predicted a wet spell in the state till July 13.
Three members of a family were killed in a house collapse following a landslide due to rains in Kotgarh area of Shimla district, according to PTI.
The deceased were identified as Anil, his wife Kiran and son Swapnil, officials said.
A landslide also damaged a makeshift house near Kullu town, leaving a woman dead.
In another incident, a person was buried alive following a landslide in Katiyan tehsil of Chamba on Saturday night, PTI reported.
Thirteen landslides and nine flash floods have been reported in the state in the past 36 hours, according to the state emergency operation centre.
As many as 736 roads have been closed for traffic while 1,743 transformers and 138 water supply schemes were affected on Sunday morning.
Flood alert issued for Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Samba districts
A red alert has been issued for Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Samba districts along with lower catchment areas amid incessant rains in the region for the third consecutive day on Sunday.
The alert was issued by the meteorological department as reports came in from different areas about the water level in rivers and streams crossing the danger mark this morning. All concerned are advised to stay alert during the next 24 hours," a spokesperson of the meteorological department said.
In a separate release, PTI reported that the bodies of two soldiers, who were swept away by flash floods triggered by heavy rains, were recovered in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday.
The Army personnel were crossing Dogra nallah in Surankote area when they were swept away by a strong current on Saturday, they said.
While the body of Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh was fished out from the stream Saturday night, the mortal remains of the second soldier were recovered on Sunday.
The body of one of the deceased has been sent for postmortem, the officials said.
Delhi records highest single-day rainfall for July since 1982
Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in 24 hours ending 8:30 on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the IMD said.
An interaction between a western disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall.
The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 153 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Sunday, the highest since the 24-hour rainfall of 169.9 mm on July 25, 1982, a senior IMD official said.
Heavy rain batters Rajasthan
According to the IMD, several parts of northwest India witnessed an intense spell of rain on Saturday. Rain lashed several districts of Rajasthan, leading to four deaths in separate incidents within a span of 24 hours.
A woman and a man died after being struck by lightning in Chittorgarh, while two men drowned in separate incidents in Sawai Madhopur, police said.
The IMD predicted heavy rainfall in the eastern part of the state and mild to moderate showers in the western part in the next 24 hours.
Rains lash many parts of Punjab and Haryana
For the second consecutive day, rains lashed Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Sonipat among other places in Haryana while Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Rupnagar and Patiala in Punjab also received heavy showers, a Met official here said.
Water entered houses causing inconvenience to the people in some places in the two states. In Ambala in Haryana, rainwater also entered several shops at the wholesale cloth market.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, continued to receive heavy showers.
More rains have been forecast in parts of Haryana and Punjab during the day
(With inputs from PTI)