Assam ravaged by torrential rainfall and floods; Brahmaputra breaches danger mark

Torrential rainfall continued to wreak havoc across several parts of India, with eastern, northern, and northeastern states bearing the brunt of severe flooding. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued alerts predicting light rainfall in Delhi on Sunday, contrasting the sultry conditions witnessed with temperatures ranging between 34.7°C and 27.1°C.

In Himachal Pradesh, emergency services have reported the closure of 62 roads following heavy rains, impacting districts such as Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Kangra. The Shimla meteorological office has issued a yellow alert, forecasting heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in isolated places until July 12.

In Assam, over 24.5 lakh people across 30 districts have been affected by floods, with major rivers breaching danger levels. Urban areas in Kamrup (Metropolitan), Kamrup, and Dibrugarh districts have also been inundated. The flood situation in Kaziranga National Park has led to the tragic loss of 114 wild animals, while 95 have been rescued.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured support to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, with the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force actively engaged in rescue and relief operations.

Meanwhile, Bihar has seen rising water levels in several rivers, with the Kosi and Kamla rivers breaching warning levels in different districts. In Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, at least 14 fatalities were reported due to rain-related incidents, underscoring the severity of the ongoing weather disruptions.

The IMD has issued alerts for isolated heavy rainfall in various states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.

With warnings ranging from orange to red alerts, authorities are urging residents to exercise caution and preparedness in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.