Nine killed in Himachal Pradesh, flood recedes in UP, Andhra Prade

New Delhi, Aug 13 (UNI) As many as nine people were killed in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh while the flood situation showed signs of improvement in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Shimla district accounted for deaths of four people, followed by Hamirpur three and Solan two.

Four labourers, including a 10-year old boy, were killed and an equal number injured following a landslide at Nag village near Matiana in Shimla district. Two people were buried alive when a house collapsed following heavy rains at Nagaly village in Solan district.

The Shimla-Kalka National Highway at Jabli in Solan district, the Hindustan-Tibet road at Matiyana in Shimla district and National Highway-21 were closed due to landslides.

The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh meanwhile continued to improve with considerable dip in the water level of several rivers.

According to the Central Water Commission, major rivers, including the Ganga, Yamuna, Rapti, Ghaghra, Gandhak and Shardha were now flowing below the red mark. About 662 villages were badly affected in flood-hit Siddharthnagar district.

The 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway was closed for traffic after a bridge was washed away by floods last night.

Moderate rain lashed Punjab and Haryana overnight providing respite from scorching heat in the region.

After moderate showers last night, an overcast sky and cool Westerly winds continued to provide Delhiites respite from hot and humid conditions.

The minimum temperature dropped to 27.3 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature to 35 degrees, one degree above normal.

With the monsoon reviving in Madhya Pradesh, heavy rains are likely in eastern and northern parts of the state in the next 24 hours.

In Andhra Pradesh, the flood situation in river Krishna improved with the flood waters receding, even as authorities withdrew the flood alert sounded to the people living in the downstream Prakasam barrage.

In Kolkata, normal life was disrupted due to heavy rain since last evening.

Met officials said a low pressure trough over coastal Orissa and Bengal had triggered heavy rains. About 96 mm of rainfall was recorded since the past 24 hours, Met sources added.

The southwest monsoon has been vigorous in Gangetic West Bengal and Jharkhand, active in Orissa and subdued over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Rayalaseema and interior Karnataka.

Heavy to very heavy rains have occurred at most places in Gangetic West Bengal, Orissa and at many places in Jharkhand.

Heavy rains have occurred at most places in Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and at many places in Konkan and Goa.

Very light rains have occurred at isolated places in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, east Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and north interior Karnataka.

Rain or thundershowers have occurred at most places in Chhattisgarh, coastal Karnataka and at many places in Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and at a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, south interior Karnataka, Kerala and at isolated places in Haryana, east Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

UNI