Monsoon fury grips India: 7 dead in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, 21 injured in Arunachal Pradesh; alert issued for heavy rain

NEW DELHI: Monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc across large parts of the country on Wednesday, claiming lives in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka as landslides, flooding roads, disrupting transport and forcing the suspension of pilgrimages, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of more heavy to very heavy rainfall over several states in the coming days.Seven people died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, while two others were killed and eight, including four children, were injured after being struck by lightning in Uttar Pradesh.In Maharashtra, two girls narrowly escaped after suffering an electric shock from an exposed live wire on a waterlogged road in Navi Mumbai's Nerul, as heavy rain inundated parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.While Arunachal Pradesh continued to grapple with the aftermath of flash floods and landslides, the IMD forecast fresh spells of heavy rainfall over south Bengal and several other regions.The showers, however, brought relief from the scorching heat in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, while the southwest monsoon advanced across most parts of Uttarakhand.Four people were killed in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh as heavy monsoon showers in several parts of the hill state, including Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala, led to multiple road closures due to landslides, swollen rivers and disruptions in electricity supply.The southwest monsoon, which arrived in Himachal on Tuesday, covered the entire state by Wednesday, the weather office in Shimla said, as it issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places from July 2-6, except for July 4.A woman from Solan was killed after a boulder struck her near Aut on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway.Three other deaths were reported from Kangra district, including one due to electrocution and another after a fall.Flood-like conditions were reported from parts of Chamba district after debris from hillsides entered homes, while landslides forced the closure of 35 roads across the state.According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 127 electricity transformers were also affected.In Karnataka's Mangaluru, three members of a family, including two girls, were killed after a rain-triggered landslide buried their house.Three others were rescued from the debris.In Maharashtra, heavy rains battered Thane and Palghar districts and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), triggering widespread flooding in several low-lying areas, leaving citizens stranded in various pockets as stormwater drains overflowed.Authorities issued a red alert for Palghar, where schools and colleges will remain closed on Thursday, while the IMD predicted very heavy rainfall over Thane during the next three days.In Ulhasnagar, a 70-year-old woman stranded inside her flooded home was rescued by fire brigade personnel after several hours.According to officials, very heavy rains are likely in Thane district in the next three days.The downpour since late Tuesday caused severe waterlogging across several residential belts.Videos of elderly woman being safely carried through knee-deep water by rescuers have surfaced on social media.The IMD has also issued an orange alert for Mumbai, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall with the possibility of extremely heavy rain at isolated locations over the next few days.In Jammu and Kashmir, the annual pilgrimages to the Machail Mata and Mindhal Mata shrines in Kishtwar district remained suspended because of continuous rain, slippery roads and the threat of shooting stones.The IMD said a low-pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal on July 3, which could trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall over several districts of south Bengal between July 4 and 7.In Arunachal Pradesh, where flash floods and landslides have killed four people over the past week, Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kiren Rijiju assured the state of the Centre's full support for relief, rehabilitation and long-term flood mitigation.Rain also brought much needed relief from the scorching heat across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.In Punjab, showers were reported in Mohali, Kharar, Pathankot, Patiala and Hoshiarpur, while Ambala, Yamunanagar, Sonipat, Hisar, Rohtak and Karnal in Haryana and the Union territory of Chandigarh too witnessed downpour on Wednesday.In Uttarakhand, where the southwest monsoon has now covered most parts of the state, the IMD issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Dehradun and Bageshwar districts.Meanwhile, the weather office said the southwest monsoon is expected to reach Delhi within the next two days, bringing an end to the season's lingering summer heat.(With PTI inputs)You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in 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