Heavy rainfall to lash Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kerala and Delhi-NCR; flood alerts issued

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued widespread rain alerts as heavy to moderate rainfall continues to impact large parts of India. Notably, Amarnath and Kedarnath Yatras have been suspended, and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh have led to flooding and highway blockages.

From 0830 hrs IST on August 1 to 0530 hrs IST on August 2, heavy rainfall was recorded in Northwest Rajasthan (Sri Ganganagar 11 cm) and Kerala (Udumbannoor 10 cm). Moderate rainfall was observed in Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, and Assam.

Yatra Disruptions

The Amarnath Yatra has been halted until August 3 due to relentless downpours damaging the pilgrimage routes. Authorities have initiated emergency repair work along the Baltal and Pahalgam tracks. The Kedarnath Yatra remains suspended for a third consecutive day owing to landslides. Over 450 stranded pilgrims were rescued by NDRF and SDRF through forest routes and brought to Sonprayag, where more than 5,000 others remain camped due to safety concerns.

Cloudbursts in Himachal

Three cloudburst incidents occurred in Lahaul Valley on Friday, leading to flooding near Puhre Nala (Tindi) and evacuations from Yangla valley and Jispa. In Kangra, heavy rain caused collapse of seven cattle sheds and two houses. The Kiratpur-Manali highway was blocked for around nine hours due to landslides near Pandoh (Mandi) and Samlaitu (Bilaspur), stranding hundreds of vehicles.

Delhi-NCR Weather and Forecast

• The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR and Gurugram, predicting thunderstorms with heavy rain.
• On August 2, thunderstorms with rain are expected with temperatures ranging between 25°C and 35°C.
• On August 3, cloudy skies and moderate rainfall are forecasted, with a slightly cooler temperature range of 24°C to 33°C.

Flood Warnings in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand, a yellow alert has been issued for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Nainital, and Bageshwar. In Varanasi, the Ganga river has breached the warning level, entering parts of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, with boats navigating narrow city lanes. In Prayagraj, both the Ganga and Yamuna rivers are flowing just below the danger mark, affecting 14 localities and 44 nearby villages.

Authorities across the affected states remain on high alert, with continued rainfall expected in the coming days.