A devastating cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh has led to the deaths of approximately 50 people, according to state minister Vikramaditya Singh. The figure remains preliminary and could be confirmed once search and rescue operations are completed. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted continued heavy rainfall in the region until August 7, exacerbating the situation.
In response to the crisis, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced financial assistance of ₹50,000 for each family affected by the flash floods. The focus of the state government is currently on retrieving bodies and restoring connectivity in the flood-stricken areas.
The IMD has issued a red alert for several regions including Gujarat, West Madhya Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, and Meghalaya for August 3. In addition, isolated extremely heavy rainfall is expected over Madhya Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa, and Meghalaya. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are also forecasted for Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
Maharashtra has been warned of extreme weather, with a red alert in Satara district for August 3 and 4, and predictions of extremely heavy rain in Palghar and Pune districts on August 4. The IMD also forecasts isolated heavy rainfall over Vidarbha and Marathwada.
In Kerala, which is still recovering from the recent Wayanad landslide tragedy that claimed over 300 lives, the IMD has predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places until August 5. The state continues to experience the effects of very heavy rainfall in recent days.
The IMD’s forecast includes widespread moderate to heavy rainfall over Coastal Karnataka, Lakshadweep, and Kerala, with lighter rainfall expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Rayalaseema.
As the heavy rains persist across multiple regions, authorities are ramping up efforts to manage the flood impact and provide relief to the affected populations. The situation remains fluid as weather conditions continue to evolve.
Sources By Agencies