Moderate rain in North India; flood relief efforts on in UP

, Aug 30: Light to moderate rains in parts of North India led to a dip in mercury even as efforts were intensified to provide relief to 16 lakh flood-hit people in

, where rivers continued to flow in spate. After remaining evasive for almost the week,

returned to make the day a pleasant one for Delhiites. Rain brought the day temperature down by two degrees below normal to 31.8 degrees Celsius. The minimum at 24.3 deg C, was also two notches below normal, MeT Department said.

Delhi witnessed 18.8 mm of showers and the humidity level oscillated between 68 per cent and 95 per cent during the day. In Uttar Pradesh, efforts were intensified to provide relief to 16.68 lakh people affected by floods. People in the affected belts are being shifted to safer places, officials said. Flood chowkis, set up to look after relief operations, are maintaining a round the clock vigil, they said.

As many as 1,038 villages in 16 districts have been adversely hit, sources said, adding that so far 260 people have been killed in rain-related incidents this monsoon. Eastern parts of the state were worst affected with flood waters submerging large areas and damaging major roads.

A culvert on National Highway 31 at Ballia district, which was washed away was timely repaired to restore traffic movement on the route, officials said. Major rivers including Ganga, Yamuna, Sharda, Ghahghra, Rapti, Burhi Rapti and Quano were flowing above the danger mark in different districts.

Meanwhile, rain lashed mid and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh. Baijnath in Kangra district was wettest in the region with 115 mm rains while Rajgarh and Bhoranj received 56 mm and 37 mm of rains, followed by Mashobra 35 mm, Nahan 34 mm, Nadaun 33 mm, Renuka 32 mm, Kotkhai and Jubbal 25 mm.

PTI