Six people die in Kozhikode in rains : Kerala toll 161

New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) As many as six people died in Kozhikode today raising the total number of deaths from rain related incidents to 161 since June 1 in Kerala.

At least 38 people were killed and one reported missing during the past two days, as the South-West monsoon remained vigorous in Kerala.

A total area of 22,977 hectare crops were destroyed and the loss on this account was estimated to Rs 108.98 crore.

Besides this, loss of infrastructure like roads, electricity, water and health in Alappuzha, Malappuram and Wayand districts were estimated to Rs 22.76 crore.

One person was killed in Alappuzha district of Kerala while a person identified as Harikrishnan (31) of Muthukulam Panchayat near Kayamkulam drowned near his house.

The South West monsoon also disrupted normal life in coastal and ghat areas of Karnataka even as the flood situation along the course of river Kabini remained grim.

Heavy rains in the catchment areas of Kabini in Waynad in Kerala and floods in the river inundated several areas in Nanjangud and T Narasipur taluks in Mysore districts.

While there was some respite in Uttara Kannada and other coastal districts, rains continued to lash the coffee district of Kodagu causing inundation, landslips and uprooting of trees.

Isolated rain occurred over Telangana and Rayalaseema in the last 24 hours, even as dry weather mainly prevailed over Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Floods continued to play havoc in the Dhemaji district of Asom with the district remaining cut off from the rest of the country.

The Capital experienced a slight drizzle early in the day and though clouds hovered around, a hot and humid day was endured with the temperature soaring to 36.6 degrees. The minimum temperature was 27.8 degrees.

The humidity level rose to 91 per cent maximum while minimum was 49 per cent, the Met office said.

The water levels of several rivers, including the Ganga and Ghagra are rising following heavy downpour in Eastern Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours.

At least 12 people were injured in rain-related incidents in Mau while the Ghagra river in the district was about to touch the red mark.

The monsoon meanwhile played truant in many areas in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Union Territory and sultry weather conditions persisted in the plains.

Hot and humid weather conditions prevailed in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in the absence of rains.

Except Ranjit Sagar Dam site in Punjab and Panipat in Haryana, which respectively recorded 2.0 mm and 6.0 mm rain overnight, the twin states had no rainfall, according to the Met Office.

Although most areas in Himachal Pradesh remained dry, certain areas in Kangra district witnessed rain. Baijnath was lashed by moderate rainfall while Dharamsala, headquarters of Kangra district, measured 4.8 mm rainfall till 0830 hrs.

Rains however, eluded the capital town of Shimla which remained draped in monsoon clouds during the day.

The Met Office has predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers at few places in Himachal Pradesh and isolated places in Haryana and Punjab during the next 24 hours.

The Southwest Monsoon has been vigorous over Kerala and active over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh.

It remains subdued over west Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, west Rajasthan, Gujarat, Marathwada, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema.

Heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in Kerala and at many places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in coastal Karnataka.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in Lakshadweep and at many places in Gangetic West Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar.

Extremely heavy rains have occurred at many places in Asom and Meghalaya. Heavy to very heavy rains have occurred at most places in east Uttar Pradesh, and at most places in Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala and at many places in south interior Karnataka.

Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, coastal Karnataka, Lakshadweep, many places in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Bihar also had rainfall.

Rain or thundershowers have occurred at a few places in Gangetic West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chattisgarh, Konkan, Goa, Telangana, north interior Karnataka, and at isolated places in Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutch, Madhya Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

UNI