NEW DELHI: At least 22 individuals have been reported killed as the monsoon downpours battered the northern regions of India, triggering landslides and abrupt inundations, authorities and local media confirmed on Monday.
In light of the heavy rainfall, educational institutions in New Delhi remained shuttered, prioritizing the safety of students. Additionally, the residents residing in the scenic Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were advised against venturing outside their abodes unnecessarily, considering the potential risks involved.
The tragic outcome of the flooding and landslides have been recorded in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and the Indian Illegally-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on the fateful day of Sunday.
Within the northern realms of Himachal Pradesh, the floods that started over the weekend resulted in the collapse of a crucial bridge, along with the annihilation of numerous humble dwellings. Aerial footage captured by Reuters’ partner ANI displayed authorities deploying helicopters to rescue those stranded on inundated roads and bridges due to the uninterrupted rainfall.
The thoroughfares spanning the northern states, including Punjab, Delhi, and Uttarakhand, became submerged under the deluge. In certain regions, rescue personnel valiantly employed rubber rafts to save the stranded occupants trapped within their dwellings, as reported by local media.
Late on Sunday, Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, issued an impassioned appeal on social media, entreating citizens to remain within the safety of their homes, cautioning of the forecasted heavy precipitation looming within the subsequent 24 hours.
An official from the meteorological department disclosed that numerous districts within Himachal Pradesh experienced a month’s worth of rainfall in a mere day at the weekend, illustrating the extraordinary nature of the weather phenomenon.
According to the aforementioned department, Delhi, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have encountered a surplus of rainfall, surpassing the average for the ongoing monsoon season, which commenced on the 1st of June. Delhi has witnessed a staggering 112% above-average rainfall, while Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have received 100% and 70% more rainfall, respectively.
