Monsoon abates in Gujarat: 3 girls swept away by waters in Raj

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) With the slight abatement of monsoon fury in Gujarat today, security personnel rescued 130 children stranded due to floods in Kheda district of the state while three schoolgirls were swept away in the waters and several houses collapsed in Rajasthan.

Flash floods triggered by unprecedented heavy rains destroyed a few houses and crops in Spiti Valley of Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh during the last few days.

The rivers were in spate in the Gulbarg district of Karnataka and Kolapur district of Maharashtra as incessant rains in Jodhpur and Udaipur divisions made authorities prepare for floods.

The water level of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on Narmada river reached the danger mark of 119 metre today despite cessation of heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh.

Delhi experienced highly humid conditions. The well marked low pressure over North West Bay of Bengal has concentrated into a depression today and lay centred at 100 kms east south coast of Chandbali to cause heavy rains over Orissa and Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

Met sources here said the system is likely to intensify further and move in the West North Westerly direction and cross North Orissa Coast between Paradip and Balasore coast close to Chandbali by tomorrow morning.

Heavy rain is expected in various parts of Surat district for the next 24 hours, district flood control room informed here today.

In Madhya Pradesh several villages in Jhabua district came under submergence due to the backwater of the Sardar Sarovar dam and residents of the affected villages had been evacuated.

The monsoon has weakened in Uttar Pradesh and rains have subsided in Gujarat, though high alert has been sounded for 65 dams while for another 25 a warning has been issued. The water level in Narmada dam has reached 119.6 metres while its optimum is at 121.92 m.

Though rains subsided in Central Gujarat, Dabhoi in Vadodara had 95 mm rains. Banaskantha in North Gujarat recieved heavy rains overnight. Rail and road traffic are limping back to normalcy.

In Karnataka river Bhima was still in spate following heavy discharge of water from Ujjini and Veerbhatkal dams in Maharashtra after heavy rains pounded the neighbouring State.

Official sources said evacuation of people to safer places went on for the third consecutive day after authorities issued a flood alert to people living along the banks of the river.

Moderate rain lashed Himachal Pradesh overnight, bringing a considerable fall in the temperature even as monsoon played a truant in the plains of Punjab and Haryana today.

Except Nangal Dam site in Punjab, which received 1.0 mm till this morning, the state went dry as monsoon did not bring any rains.

Haryana, too, had no rains. Hot and humid weather conditions persisted in the plains in these states.

Humid weather conditions also prevailed in Chandigarh in the absence of downpour. However, monsoon clouds hovered over the city during the day.

Rain-related incidents in the region have claimed the lives of 15 people during the current monsoon season so far. Nine people have died in Himachal Pradesh, four in Haryana and two in Punjab.

Uni team ARB HS1937