North India rain toll rises as water level turns dangerous
Hindustan TimesAt least 42 people have died because of heavy rains in various parts of India over three days, with raging rivers washing away national highways, bridges, buildings and vehicles, and landslides snapping the only links to many towns and villages. Himachal Pradesh’s chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed “deep sorrow” at the deaths and said the government was “making all-out efforts” to tackle the situation, with more rain predicted. On Monday, the India Meteorological Department issued its highest alert or red warning for heavy rain in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmour, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Solan districts. “We can expect heavy to very heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh for one more day and over Uttarakhand for the next 2-3 days because the monsoon trough is over the Indo-Gangetic Plains area. Read here: Rain-heavy system over north likely to subside by today, to shift to east: IMD In Jammu and Kashmir, the Amarnath Yatra remanded suspended for the third consecutive day even as National Highway Authority of India ramped up efforts to restore traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway, which has blocked at Ramban due to heavy rain.