India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Heavy rain over the past two days has left several parts of the country dealing with deaths, damaged homes and rising flood risks.
In Uttar Pradesh, 56 people have died and 46 others were injured in rain and storm related incidents between the morning of September 25 and September 27, officials said. The state recorded 97.6 mm of rain during the 48 hour period, far above the cumulative average of 4.5 mm.
Heavy rains caused 56 deaths and damage in Uttar Pradesh from Sept 25-27, while Odisha prepared for Mahanadi river floods, and Uttarakhand suspended Rishikesh rafting activities due to safety concerns over continued rainfall.
The rain has also damaged more than 1,020 houses and killed 107 animals, according to relief commissioner Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod. Excessive rainfall was reported in 56 of Uttar Pradesh’s 75 districts.
The number of deaths could rise further, as officials are still collecting and compiling information from the affected districts.
The weather has eased in much of Uttar Pradesh after remaining severe for more than 48 hours. However, the Terai region continues to face the possibility of heavy to very heavy rain, according to the weather department.
Some districts saw rainfall far beyond their normal levels. Farrukhabad recorded 7,385% more rain than normal, while Kannauj received 5,664% above normal rainfall. Shahjahanpur recorded 4,408% more, followed by Hamirpur at 4,240% and Mahoba at 4,100%.
Odisha braces for rising floodwaters
The situation is also being closely watched in Odisha, where rising water levels in the Mahanadi river system have raised concerns for several low lying areas.
Officials expect around 700,000 cusecs of water to pass through Mundali by Sunday night. The flow could rise to as much as 800,000 cusecs by 10 am on Monday.
The increase could affect low lying areas in Khurda, Cuttack, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts.
Several rivers connected to the Mahanadi system, including the Luna, Karandia, Chitrotpala, Kathajodi and Kuakhai, are expected to see flooding. The Devi, Kandala, Kushabhadra, Daya, Bhargavi, Rajua and Makara rivers are also facing the possibility of flood conditions.
Northern Odisha is already seeing a worsening situation, with the Baitarani, Salandi and Subarnarekha rivers continuing to flow above their danger levels.
Rishikesh rafting stopped amid rain
In Uttarakhand, the continuing rain has also forced authorities to suspend one of Rishikesh’s most popular adventure activities.
River rafting on the Ganga at Muni-ki-Reti has been stopped indefinitely. Officials said the activity will resume only when the weather improves and the river comes down to a safer level.
Tehri Garhwal district tourism and adventure officer Sobat Singh Rana said the decision followed continuous rain across the Garhwal region and weather advisories.
Before rafting is allowed to restart, authorities will assess several factors, including the weather, the monsoon outlook, the Ganga’s water level and the forecast for the coming week.
With rain continuing to affect different parts of the country, authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Odisha remain focused on the flood situation, while Uttarakhand has temporarily put rafting activities on hold for safety reasons.
