India: Battling deadly floods | WION Wideangle

Introduction

The video introduces the topic of landslides and flash floods in India and Pakistan, caused by heavy monsoon rains. It highlights the impact on various regions and the destruction caused by these natural disasters.

Landslides and Flash Floods in India

• In Himachal Pradesh, torrential rains resulted in at least six deaths.

• Uttarakhand also experienced landslides and flash floods, with water levels surpassing danger levels in rivers and streams.

• Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula faced flood threats due to unprecedented rain.

• New Delhi recorded the highest ever rainfall in a single day in July since 1982.

Impact on Pakistan

• Over 70 people have been killed by floods and landslides in Pakistan since June.

• Both India and Pakistan are affected by heavy monsoon rains.

Landslides and Flash Floods in Himachal Pradesh

This section focuses on the specific impact of landslides and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, including damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, and rescue efforts.

Havoc Caused by Monsoon Rains

• Torrential monsoon rains triggered 13 landslides and nine flash floods across Himachal Pradesh.

• Major roads, including the Chandigarh Manali National Highway, were blocked due to landslides.

• Water from overflowing Beas River entered Pando Village in Mandi District, washing away a bridge connecting it to Banjar.

• The Pando Dam opened floodgates to release excess water, leading to a significant rise in the water level of Beas River.

Flooding of Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara

• Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara, a famous Sikh place of worship, was flooded due to heavy rainfall.

• The gurudwara's premises were fully submerged, and River Parvati flowed above the main bridge.

Impact on Kulu District

• Intense rainfall caused landslides along the Beas River in Kulu District.

• A portion of the Kulu national highway was washed away, disrupting traffic between Mandi and Kulu.

• Despite red alerts and warnings from authorities, some residents refused to leave their homes out of fear of property damage.

Casualties and Damage

This section provides information about the casualties and damage caused by landslides and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh.

Human Toll and Property Damage

• Between June 24th and July 9th, 72 deaths have been reported in Himachal Pradesh.

• Eight people are missing, and 92 others have been injured.

• Property worth ₹4,000 crore (approximately $485 million) has been damaged in the state.

Government Response

• Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu urged people not to venture out due to the dangerous conditions.

• The Indian Meteorological Department issued a red alert for ten out of twelve districts in Himachal Pradesh.

• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other rescue teams are actively involved in relief efforts across affected areas.

Rescue Efforts

This section highlights the rescue efforts undertaken by organizations like NDRF to save stranded individuals affected by landslides and flash floods.

NDRF Rescues Stranded People

• An NDRF team rescued six people who were stranded in the Beas River near Nagwain Village in Mandi District.

• Incessant rainfall had caused the water level of the river to rise, trapping them.

• Victims staying in relief shelters have lost their homes and belongings due to the destructive force of nature.

Impact on Uttarakhand

This section focuses on the impact of heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, including damage to infrastructure and communication disruptions.

Damage in Chamoli District

• A bridge over Jumagar River was washed away in Chamoli District.

• The Indo-Tibet border road was blocked, and contact with over a dozen border villages was lost.

The video ends abruptly after this point.

Heavy Monsoon Rains in Rajasthan and Punjab

This section discusses the impact of intense monsoon rains in Eastern and Central Rajasthan, causing flooding and disruption of normal life. It also mentions the flooding in Punjab's Mohali.

Flooding in Rajasthan

• Parts of Eastern and Central Rajasthan experienced intense monsoon rains, leading to a standstill of normal life.

• The heavy rainfall caused flooding in roads, rail tracks, low-lying residential areas, and even hospitals.

• Savai Mansing Hospital in Jaipur was flooded, including the cancer wing located in the basement. 15 cancer patients were shifted to safer areas.

• There were complaints about the lack of beds and infrastructure from patients' families.

Flooding in Punjab

• Mohali, a city in Punjab, witnessed a flood-like situation as rainwater entered hundreds of houses.

Flood Relief Operations in Derabasi

This section highlights the flood situation in Derabasi, Punjab. It mentions people leaving their high-rise buildings using boats and tractor trolleys to reach safer locations due to water from the Kagga River entering fields.

• A video circulating on social media shows residents leaving high-rise buildings using boats and tractor trolleys as floodwaters enter fields.

• The district administration deployed teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue operations.

• NDRF teams can be seen carrying out rescue operations after residential buildings got heavily flooded.

Red Alert Issued for Jammu and Kashmir

This section discusses a red alert issued by India's Meteorological Department for two districts - Katwa and Samba - in Jammu and Kashmir. It also mentions casualties due to rains, landslides, and the suspension of an annual pilgrimage.

• A red alert was issued for Katwa and Samba districts in Jammu and Kashmir due to heavy rains.

• Four people, including two soldiers, died in the region due to rains triggering landslides and flash floods.

• Two soldiers drowned while crossing a mountainous stream during a patrol in Punch. Their bodies were later retrieved.

• The annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas was suspended for three days due to widespread rain and landslides.

• Approximately 15,000 pilgrims were stranded in Jammu and other places after the pilgrimage was suspended.

Monsoon Impact on New Delhi

This section discusses the impact of monsoon rains on India's capital city, New Delhi. It mentions record-breaking water levels in Yamuna River and heavy rainfall causing submergence of areas.

• Yamuna water levels breached an all-time record of 207.49 meters on July 12th, surpassing the previous record set in 1978.

• Heavy rainfall resulted in a staggering 153 millimeters of rain within a 24-hour period on July 9th, which is the highest rainfall in a single day in July since 1982.

• Numerous areas of New Delhi and the National Capital Region were submerged in water due to heavy downpour.

• Roots became impassable, traffic movement was restricted, and infrastructure was adversely impacted.

Flooding in India's Northeast Region

This section highlights severe flooding caused by monsoon rains in India's Northeast region. It specifically mentions Assam where villages were submerged due to floodwaters.

• Severe flooding occurred after heavy rains battered India's Northeast region, particularly Assam.

• Roads turned into rivers, and villages were submerged, making life difficult for locals.

• Around 40 villages in the Barpeta district of Assam were affected, impacting nearly 10,000 people.

Landslide in Nagaland and Flooding in Pakistan

This section discusses a landslide in Nagaland and the impact of monsoon rains in Pakistan, causing floods and landslides.

• A massive rock crashed cars during a landslide in Nagaland on July 4th. Several people died, and others were injured.

• A video from the accident site shows cars turning into a heap of metal within seconds.

• In Pakistan, heavy monsoon rains caused havoc, with at least 80 people killed by floods and landslides.

• Lahore experienced flooding in streets and residential areas due to heavy rainfall.

Pakistan's Monsoon Challenges

This section discusses the challenges Pakistan faces due to deadly monsoons and the impact of climate change on flooding events.

Impact of Catastrophic Floods

• Pakistan is still recovering from the catastrophic floods of 2022, which submerged a third of the country.

• The country is struggling to recover from last year's flooding, which caused $30 billion in damage.

Increasing Erratic Monsoons

• Monsoons in both India and Pakistan are becoming more erratic due to climate change and global warming.

• Severe flooding events like those witnessed in these countries are becoming more widespread.

Complex Changes in Environment

• Climate change and global warming are causing complex changes in our environment.

• These changes have significant implications for reducing damage from future floods and landslides.