With two more deaths reported, the toll in Bihar flood increased to 91 on Saturday even as four persons were killed enroute to the Vaishnodevi shrine in a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir. The landslide triggered by heavy rains occurred on Banganga-Ardhkuwari road around midnight and the debris fell on a shelter killing Shashidhar Kumar (29), Bindu Sahni (30) and her 5-year-old son Vishal from Chhattisgarh, besides Sadik (32) and injuring nine persons, CEO of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), Ajeet Sahu said.
It was a sultry day in the national Capital where light rainfall occurred at some places. “The maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 32.8 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 29 degrees Celsius,” a Met Department official said.
In Bihar, the disaster management department said two fresh deaths were reported from Purnea district taking the toll to 91 in the State.
Light rainfall occurred at a few places in southern parts of Bihar while northern Bihar received light to very light rainfall in past 24 hours, it said.
Fed by heavy rains in the Terai region of Nepal, the Ganga was flowing above danger mark at various places included at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, Ghaghra-Darauli and Gangpur-Siswan in Siwan district of Bihar.
Two engineers of a private construction company, were on Friday evening inspecting an under construction bridge at Beni nallah in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, when flash floods washed them away, the police officials said, adding one of them was rescued, while search is on for the other.
In Maharashtra, two more bodies were recovered on Saturday during the search operation in Savitri river where several vehicles were swept away after a British-era bridge collapsed in Mahad, taking the toll in the tragedy to 24.
Meanwhile, water levels in major reservoirs of Maharashtra have increased to 59 per cent of their total capacity, due to fresh spell of rainfall across several parts of the State.
The State recorded 736 mm rainfall in the first week of August and so far in this season 107.5 per cent of the average annual rainfall has been recorded, which was 62 per cent last year in the corresponding period.
In Uttarakhand, one person died after being hit by boulders in Pithoragarh district during landslide triggered by rains in the State even as the Chardham Yatra remained affected with the highways leading to the Himalayan shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath blocked at several points.
Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours with Gaggal receiving 166 mm of rain.
In Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar Dam across Narmada river has started overflowing at Kevadia in Narmada district, following the release of water from Omkareshwar dam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
Heavy rains lashed isolated parts of the western region of Uttar Pradesh while light to moderate rain occurred in some places in eastern districts.
According to Central Water Commission, Sharda and Ghaghra rivers continue to flow above the danger mark at Palia and Elgion bridge in Turtipar respectively in the state, while Ganga, Ram Ganga, Yamuna, Rapti and Quano were flowing close to the red mark at different places.
Light to heavy rainfall continued to occur in parts of Rajasthan where Bakani in Jhalawar and Gudamalani in Barmer district recorded maximum of 6 cm rains followed by Ahore in Jalore where 5 cm rains occurred. Many other places received below 5 cm rains till on Saturday morning.
Rains also lashed several places in Punjab and Haryana leading to drop in maximum temperatures in most parts of both the States with Chandigarh recording a high of 31 degrees Celsius and 6.4 mm rainfall.
Very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and northwest Madhya Pradesh.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to lash isolated places in west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, east Rajasthan, southwest Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat region. - PTI
