Summary:
Himachal Pradesh weather: Heavy rain alert in Himachal, red alert in Punjab 01:33NEW DELHI: Incessant rains triggered flash floods and landslides in hill states of northern India, with at least 11 people killed on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and a 'red alert' being issued in Punjab.The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) issued an advisory to the Punjab government that it will release "excess" water from the Pong dam in the wake of incessant rains in catchment areas of the Beas river.Educational institutes have been ordered to remain closed on Tuesday in Punjab. The DCs have been asked to identify hotspots with clear evacuation and relief plans ready before hand, the spokesperson said.Incessant rains in Punjab and Haryana could cause damage to kharif crops and dip in their yield, farm experts said.In Haryana's Ambala, a 45-year-old man died when the roof of his house collapsed due to heavy rains, police said.Five people, including a minor girl, died and as many injured in separate incidents during heavy rains in Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said. "A total of 29 persons, including six women and 10 children, were rescued from various flood-hit areas of Kathua district during overnight operations," a police officer said.With improvement in weather, authorities Monday morning opened the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic.Multiple landslides and shooting stones from a hillock along the highway between Ramban and Udhampur districts had blocked the arterial road since Sunday morning.According to the Meterological department, heavy to very heavy rain is expected at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. A "high alert" has been sounded for Kullu district.Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, HP Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs.An Indian Air Force team had rescued, with the help of a chopper, 21 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district in the last 48 hours.BJP MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur said, "So far, 126 roads have been affected by landslides triggered by rains and news of the loss of lives are too pouring in from many places. Schools have been closed in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir and in most places of Himachal Pradesh.Heavy rains led to landslides which blocked the roads to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Yamunotri, affecting the Chardham Yatra, while traffic snarls were witnessed in the national capital due to waterlogging following heavy rains.The Punjab government has asked district authorities to maintain vigil to avert any untoward situation due to heavy rains, an official said.Punjab has been witnessing widespread rainfall for the last two days and the downpour continued Monday, prompting state authorities to review preparations to tackle flood-like situations.The Army has been asked to remain on alert to help Punjab deal with any eventuality arising out of the situation, an official spokesperson here said in a release..