Parts of states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab are among the worst affected areas.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon visit flood-affected states to take stock of the situation, official sources said on Friday. Heavy rains have severely impacted north Indian states, destroying roads and properties, and claiming lives.
Parts of states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab are among the worst affected areas. Officials said PM Modi will visit a few of these areas to take stock of the situation amid demands from some state governments for Central funds to deal with the crisis.
Meanwhile, a team of 11 doctors and as many nurses from AIIMS, Delhi, has been deployed to extend medical relief and humanitarian support to the flood-affected areas of Punjab and other states in northern India.
The deployed team includes specialists from disciplines such as Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Community Medicine, Surgical Disciplines Radio diagnosis, Laboratory Medicine and nursing Officers, the premier hospital said in a statement.
North India, this monsoon, witnessed landslides and flash floods in multiple states triggered by heavy rains. At least 90 people have been killed and scores of people have been dismissed due to rain-induced natural calamities in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.
The district administration of Balasore, Odisha was put on alert on Friday as the water level in two small rivers, Budhabalang and Jalaka, reached close to the danger marks following four days of incessant low pressure-induced rainfall in north Odisha, officials said.
Though the low pressure has moved to Madhya Pradesh, different districts of Odisha received substantial rainfall, an IMD official said, adding adding that Cuttack and Bhubaneswar recorded 49.2 mm and 32.6 mm rainfall, ,respectively between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.
Water Resources Department officials said the water levels in both Jalaka and Budhabalang rivers were gradually receding by evening.
However, Jalaka was still flowing above the danger level at 6.72 metres against the danger mark of 6.50 metres. Budhabalang was recorded at 6.88 metres, still below its danger mark of 8.13 metre at 6 pm, officials said.
Reports from Balasore said the rainwater has already entered some villages in 10 gram panchayats of Basta block and some villages under Balasore Sadar block after the water level of Jalaka river crossed the danger mark on Thursday evening. Several roads were also flooded in the two blocks.
Balasore district administration maintained a close watch on the situation, reinforcing vulnerable embankments with sandbags and stocking dry food and drinking water for emergency relief.