8 killed in heavy rains-related incidents in different parts of country; max in Jharkhand

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) At least eight people were killed and several were injured in the last 24 hours in incidents related to heavy rains in several parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.

With the death of five people, Jharkhand suffered the maximum damage due to heavy rains on Saturday followed by J-K where two persons lost their lives while an individual was electrocuted in Tamil Nadu.

Many roads, including a National Highway, were closed in Himachal Pradesh, which has already borne the brunt of several incidents of cloudburst this monsoon season, while torrential rains wreaked havoc in Rajasthan.

Heavy rainfall also lashed several parts of the national capital, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting moderate to heavy showers accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning on Sunday as well.

Water level in the artificial lake, which formed in Syanachatti of Uttarkashi district after debris obstructed the flow of the Yamuna river, has decreased by about 12 feet, officials said.

A temporary lake was formed due to heavy rains on Thursday when boulders and debris from the hills fell into town and blocked the river flow. This follows the massive destruction in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district after flash floods triggered by torrential rain hit the Kheer Ganga river earlier this month.

Five people were killed, one person was missing and several others were injured as heavy rains wreaked havoc in parts of Jharkhand, officials said.

A woman and her seven-year-old son died after their house collapsed in Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Friday night, officials said.

Eight more people were injured in the incident, which happened in Dandu village in Rajnagar block, they said.

"The woman and her son died during treatment at the MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur. Eight others were also injured as the kuchcha house of one Santosh Lohar collapsed," Rajnagar's BDO Malay Das told PTI.

The incident happened when relatives were visiting Lohar's house, a police officer said.

In another incident in the district, a five-year-old died and three others were injured as the wall of a house collapsed on Saturday morning, police said.

The incident happened around 4 am in Kol Shimla in the Kharsawan police station area, they said.

"The wall of the house of one Munna Bodra collapsed. His five-year-old son died on the spot, while Bodra, his wife and their two-year-old daughter were injured. They have been admitted to the Seraikela Sadar Hospital," Kharsawan police station's officer-in-charge Gaurav Kumar said.

In Chatra district, a couple was washed away in the swelling Siyari river on Friday, police said.

The incident happened in Katghara village, he said.

"The body of the husband was recovered, while the wife is still missing," Gidhour's BDO Rahul Dev told PTI.

A person was also killed in Khairatola village in Pathalgada block of the district in a rain-related incident, officials said.

Incessant rains have lashed the state over the last 24 hours. As a result, trees and electricity poles were uprooted in several places, houses collapsed, and roads and farmlands were inundated.

Two persons were killed and an equal number injured in two separate rain-related incidents in Reasi and Kathua districts in J-K early Saturday, officials said.

Shahbaz Ahmad, a resident of Jamlan village, lost his life, and two others were injured when their truck came under a landslide triggered by rains near Malai Nallah in the Mahore area of Reasi district, the officials said.

They said the incident occurred around 2.30 am and the injured, Javed Ahmad and Abdul Gani, were evacuated by the rescuers to the hospital.

One person, identified as Ravi, lost his life when his car was caught in flash floods while crossing an overflowing stream near Dreamland Park in Kathua district, the officials said.

They said the body of the deceased was retrieved by a joint rescue team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police.

In Tamil Nadu, many places including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts, received moderate to heavy overnight rains.

A sanitation worker who inadvertently stepped on a fallen live electric wire was electrocuted in the city early on Saturday, police said.

The sanitation worker, identified as Varalakshmi, had waded through stagnant water at Kannagi Nagar here, hardly noticing a severed electric wire. She died due to electrocution, police said.

Several parts of the national capital witnessed rainfall on Saturday afternoon.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning on Sunday as well.

On Saturday, several parts of the city -- including north, central, south and southeast Delhi -- witnessed rain.

According to officials of the Public Works Department, their flood control room received at least 10 complaints on waterlogging during the day, and most of them were cleared within an hour.

The IMD has predicted rainfall with gusty winds in areas including Civil Lines, Red Fort, Lajpat Nagar, Narela, Bawana, Alipur and ITO on Saturday evening and Sunday.

Torrential rains have disrupted normal life in parts of Rajasthan, with Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, and Tonk facing a flood-like situation, officials said.

Low-lying areas have been inundated, disrupting road and rail connectivity in eastern Rajasthan, which has received most rain, and several villages have been cut off due to waterlogging.

Relief operations were carried out by the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Kota on Friday, while State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams evacuated people from other rain-hit areas.

Disaster Relief Minister Kirodi Meena is scheduled to conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas in Kota division along with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla today.

Several districts, including Bundi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, and Jaipur, recorded over 10 cm of rainfall till Saturday morning, leading to widespread waterlogging. PTI TEAM KSS KSS