Rain continues to batter North India, over 20 dead in 4 states in 24 hours

The swollen Beas river as it flows above the danger mark following heavy monsoon rains. (PTI Photo/File)

Punjab: As the rain ebbed Tuesday in Punjab, leaving behind a trail of destruction, with officials saying that at least 10 people lost their lives, 20 houses collapsed, several cattle-head perished and a number of roads got washed away over last three days.

The governments has stepped up rescue and relief operations as weather cleared after the incessant downpour inundated homes and caused extensive damage to crops and vegetables in many districts. The government, however, is yet to ascertain losses.

“Ascertaining of loss of infrastructure and cattle-heads would be taken up after we rescue those still stranded in water and provide them relief material. The state has faced loss of 10 lives in last two days,” said an official.

Of the 10 who lost their lives, two each were from Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Nawanshahar, and Hoshiarpur, and one each from Moga and Jalandhar.

At least four persons were killed and several others injured after three vehicles were hit by falling boulders on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri highway in early hours of Tuesday due to excessive rain in the area.

Himachal: Pounded and battered by incessant rain, Himachal Pradesh has started counting its losses with authorities Tuesday saying 31 people have been killed, nearly 1,300 roads closed due to landslides and flash floods and 40 major bridges damaged in the last three days.

In Kullu’s Sainj area alone, around 40 shops and 30 houses were washed away, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who conducted an aerial survey of the Kasol, Manikaran, Kheer Ganga and Pulga areas.

Haryana: As many as seven people have died and two have gone missing in Haryana during the recent rain since Sunday.

On Tuesday, a major breach in Narwana Branch canal — because of overflow of water in it in Kurukshtera district — submerged thousands of acres of land.

Kurukshetra SP Surinder Singh Bhoria told The Indian Express that the canal was carrying a huge quantity of water and efforts were on to fix the breach. Sources said the canal started overflowing when water of the Markanda river started mixing in it near Jhansa village of Kurukshetra district.

Rajasthan: Heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded in isolated parts of Rajasthan and one rain-related fatality was reported in Pratapgarh district, officials said on Tuesday.

Shivganj in Sirohi district recorded the highest 13-centimetre downpour in a 24-hour period ending on Tuesday morning, they said.

Light to moderate rainfall occurred at most places in the eastern part of the state and at isolated places in the western part during the same period, the officials added.

In Pratapgarh, a 35-year-old man drowned in the Karmvachhni river on Monday night. A team of SDRF recovered his body on Tuesday morning from a spot nearly 200 metres away from where he drowned, SDRF Commandant Rajkumar Gupta said.