Assam flood situation still critical, Bihar rivers close to danger mark after torrential rain

New Delhi: Water level in different rivers in Bihar started rising at many places and the flood situation in Assam remained critical with 24.5 lakh people in 30 districts affected as torrential rain battered eastern parts India.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the flood situation and said the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force were working on a war footing to rescue and provide relief to the affected people.

Assam has been reeling from floods, with more than 24.5 lakh people affected in 30 districts and major rivers flowing above the danger level at several places.

Cachar, Kamrup, Dhubri, Nagaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Karimganj, and Tinsukia are among the districts affected.

Flood in urban areas of three districts of Kamrup (Metropolitan), Kamrup and Dibrugarh was also reported.

So far, 52 people have been killed in this year's flood while 12 others were killed in landslides and storms.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark in Nimatighat, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri.

The Barak river is flowing above the danger mark in AP Ghat, BP Ghat, Chota Bakra and Fuletral, and its tributaries Dhaleswari in Gharmura, Katakhal in Matizuri and Kushiyara in Karimganj town.

The devastating flood in the Kaziranga National Park has claimed 114 wild animals while 95 were rescued till Saturday, an official said.

In Bihar, light to moderate rain was recorded in many districts since July 4, according to the latest rainfall bulletin issued by the water resources department.

In East and West Champaran districts, people living in low-lying areas were shifted to safer places.

"The incessant rain in certain districts in the state caused rivers and streams to overflow. The increased inflow also caused the water level in many dams to rise. Besides, incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to rivers touching or flowing above danger level at several places," state officials said.

The Kosi river is flowing above the danger level in Supaul and its surrounding areas Basantpur while it touched the warning level in Khagaria and Beldaur on Friday, the report said.

The Kamla river touched the warning level in Madhubani, Jainagar and Jhanjharpur. The Parman river crossed the danger level in Araria district on Friday, it said.

The Kosi river in Khagaria and Beldaur is touching the danger level. The Gandak has jumped the red mark in Gopalganj and its Sidhwalia area.

Heavy rain lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Kangra's Dharamshala and Palampur where rainfall levels exceeded the 200-mm mark.

According to the Emergency Operation Centre, 150 roads -- 111 in Mandi, 13 in Sirmaur, nine in Shimla, eight each in Chamba and Kullu, and one in Kangra district -- were closed following torrential rain.

It added that 334 transformers were disrupted and 55 water supply schemes affected.

Dharamshala recorded the highest rainfall at 214.6 mm, followed by Palampur (212.4 mm), Jogindernagar (169 mm), Kangra city (157.6 mm), Baijnath (142 mm), Jot (95.2 mm) and Nagrota Suriyan (90.2 mm).

The Met office in Shimla has issued a 'yellow' alert warning for thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places till July 12.

In Rajasthan, Shahabad in Baran district recorded 195 mm rainfall in a 24-hour period as heavy rain continued to lash the state, Met officials said.

Heavy rain was recorded at some places in Jaipur, Bundi, Kota, Tonk and Baran districts.

Shahabad was the wettest place in eastern Rajasthan while Parbatsar in Nagaur district in the western part of the state received 71 mm rainfall.

In the 24 hours ended at 8.30 am, Deoli in Tonk district received 155 mm rainfall, followed by Malpura (144 mm), Peeplu (142 mm), Tonk tehsil (137 mm), Aligarh (130 mm), Todarai Singh (126 mm) and Nagarfort (115 mm).

In Karnataka, despite heavy rain and floods in many regions, especially along the coastal belt, a hobli-wise rainfall report of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre said many regions had recorded less-than-usual rainfall.

A hobli is a cluster of adjoining villages administered together in Karnataka.

Four hoblis have recorded large deficits (over 60 per cent) during this southwest monsoon season and 117 recorded deficit rainfall (20 per cent to 59 per cent).

The report said Karnataka recorded an actual rainfall of 266 mm between June 1 and July 6 against a normal of 249 mm, placing the state in the 'normal' category for the southwest monsoon.

Between July 1 and 6, however, Karnataka received 63 mm rainfall against 50 mm, a departure of 27 per cent from the normal, placing it in the 'excess' category.