Hindustan Times (Patiala)

Flood-like situation in North-east after monsoon rainfall

- Jayashree Nandi letters@hindustant­imes.com

NEWDELHI: Several parts of Northeast and eastern India are experienci­ng a flood-like situation as multiple weather stations in Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Bihar have reported extremely heavy rains continuous­ly for the past two to three days. “From July 2, rains will increase in central India; and from July 5, rains will resume over north-west India,” said the IMD.

New Delhi: Several parts of North-east and eastern India are experienci­ng a flood-like situation as multiple weather stations in Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Bihar and sub-Himalayan West Bengal have reported extremely heavy rains (above 20cm in a day) continuous­ly for the past two to three days.

According to officials from the India Meteorolog­ical Department (IMD), the eastern end of the monsoon trough continues to run along the Himalayan foothills, with the convergenc­e of strong southerly and south-westerly winds from the Bay of Bengal over North-east and east India. This is likely to lead to heavy and widespread rain in many parts of North-east India in the next four to five days.

“Assam is reporting floods. Bihar is also in a flood-like situation. Cherrapunj­i, which is known to receive a lot of rain at this time, has recorded as much as 50-55cm in a day. This pattern of continuous heavy rain will gradually reduce from June 30; from July 2, rains will increase in central India; and from July 5, we can expect rains to resume over north-west India,” said M Mohapatra, IMD’s director general.

Heavy rains are expected in Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, subHimalay­an West Bengal and Sikkim during the next five days. Widespread rain is also expected over Madhya Pradesh for the next five days, and over Chhattisga­rh and Vidarbha on June 29 and 30. There will be widespread rain in the west coast also this week, IMD said.

The Central Water Commission has, meanwhile, warned of “above-normal” flood situation in Dharamtul, Brahmaputr­a, Dhubri, Goalpara and others, and “severe” flood situation in Kopili and Kampur in Assam.

‘Severe flood situation’ is where water level is touching or exceeding the danger level but below the highest flood level (HFL) and ‘above normal flood situation’ where water level is touching or exceeding the warning level but below the danger level. The restoratio­n operations at Baghjan gas well No 5 -- there was a blowout on May 27 and a fire on June 9 -- was hampered for two to three days because of flooding, according to an Oil India Limited spokespers­on.

Monsoon covered the entire country on June 26, 12 days in advance of its usual pattern. Till June 28, the monsoon rains in the country are 20% in excess of the long period average (LPA) -- 36% over central India, 8% over northwest India, 4% over the southern peninsula, and 20% over east and North-east India. IMD has predicted a normal monsoon this year at 102% of LPA.

A good monsoon, which accounts for 70% of India’s annual rainfall, is critical to the fortunes of the agricultur­al sector, on which at least 700 million people in India are dependent. “There is water everywhere. Gas has been leaking from the OIL well for a month now. Work couldn’t be taken up because of incessant rains and flooding. Roads and bridges are destroyed here,” said Mridupaban Phukon, a wildlife activist in Baghjan.

Many parts of Delhi-NCR received good rains on Monday. “The monsoon trough had shifted northwards so hot westerly winds from the land were blowing over Delhi. Now the monsoon trough has shifted southwards marginally so we have started getting moist easterly winds,” said Kuldeep Shrivastav­a.

 ?? ANI ?? A flooded area in Morigaon, Assam, on Sunday.
ANI A flooded area in Morigaon, Assam, on Sunday.

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