Four die in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh; Odisha, West Bengal brace for heavy downpour

New Delhi: Four children died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh, where several houses were destroyed and over 100 roads blocked due to landslides, even as the state braced for heavy rainfall as did parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

A house collapsed in a landslide after by a cloudburst in Pandra-Bis area in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh and two children were buried alive, police said.

A 12-year-old girl died in lightning in Bhadrakali village in Gagret Tehsil, while a nine-year-old boy drowned in a swollen Khud in Jalgran village, they said.

At least eight houses were destroyed and 18 developed wide cracks in cloudbursts in Suga, Sikaseri and adjoining villages in Jhakri area of Rampur, officials said.

A flashfloods triggered?by cloudburst washed away link roads and disrupted water supply, they said.

The endangered houses have been evacuated and alternative shelter provided to affected people, officials said.

Over 100 roads have been closed and the administration is on the tenterhooks as the local MeT office has warned of heavy rains at isolated places in mid and lower hills over next four days-- August 7 to August 10.

In Odisha, Heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at one or two places over North-Coastal Odisha and heavy rainfall at one or two places in other parts since yesterday.

The IMD has forecast likelihood of heavy rainfall at one or two places over interior Odisha in the next two days.

In West Bengal, the Met department has forecast heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan districts for the next five days, with the intensity likely to increase from Wednesday.

The sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar may receive heavy rainfall till Tuesday, the regional Met department said.

Meanwhile, the national capital received light showers in the evening after a warm day. The minimum temperature settled at 28.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal for the season. The maximum temperature was 36.1 degrees Celsius, also two notches above season's average.

The weatherman has predicted rain and thunderstorm for tomorrow.

Rains lashed a few parts of Punjab and Haryana leading to a fall in mercury by a few notches. Chandigarh, the common capital of the states, also witnessed rainfall in the morning.
The weatherman has forecast more rain over the next two days in the two states.

The Meteorological Department office in Chandigarh has issued a heavy rain alert for isolated places in Haryana and Punjab for August 8-9.

Several parts of Bihar recorded light to moderate rains, while state capital Patna witnessed sultry weather conditions due to absence of rainfall there.

In its forecast, the MeT office said Patna, Bhagalpur, Gaya and Purnea are likely to witness partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain or thundershower tomorrow.