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2023 North India floods


Template:Infobox weather eventTemplate:Infobox weather event/StormTemplate:Infobox weather event/EffectsTemplate:Infobox weather event/Footer Heavy rainfall during the 2023 monsoon season resulted in severe flooding and landslides across Northern India, primarily affecting residents in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.[1][2][3]

A monsoon surge, coupled with a western disturbance has led to the highest rainfall in decades in some parts of the region, causing nearby rivers to overflow, with flooding and landslides washing away vehicles, destroying bridges and roads, and disrupting power and electricity.[2]

Over 100 individuals across Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, have died over a two-week period of intense rain and flooding, with thousands of others evacuated to relief camps.[4][5] The floods have led to closure of schools, disruption of flights and train operations in various parts of North India.[1][6][7]

BackgroundEdit

The South Asian monsoon season, which spans from June to September, typically brings about 80% of annual rainfall to the region.[8]

In recent years, India has witnessed intensified weather patterns, with the monsoon season becoming more erratic and less dependable over time.[9] The current period of heavy rainfall is occurring closely on the heels of an intense heatwave that also affected much of northern India. While various factors contribute to flooding, experts point to climate change as a significant driver of increased occurrences of heavy rainfall.[3]

Affected areasEdit

The states of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana experienced extensive waterlogging due to heavy rainfall.[3]

Himachal PradeshEdit

The state of Himachal Pradesh was the hardest hit, with at least 88 dead and more than 100 injured as of July 13, 2023.[4] More than 1,000 roads were blocked in the state as a result of downed power lines and other damaged infrastructure.[10][11] Approximately 70,000 tourists were evacuated from the state, as reported by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.[12] Rescue operations were led by teams from the Indian army and the National Disaster Response Force. Several districts experienced an entire month's worth of rainfall within a single day. In Manali, roads were swept away by the deluge, leaving both tourists and their vehicles stranded.[13]

PunjabEdit

On 9 July 2023, a high alert was issued in different districts of Punjab due to incessant rains.[14] There were a surfeit of waterlogged roads and many cars were submerged in water.[15][16] The situation worsened in Patiala and Dera Bassi as fields were inundated.[14] Many roads caved in, disrupting the traffic. The rains did not show any signs of abating as it had been profusely raining for the past three days. On 10 July 2023, an order was passed to close all schools, which are not expected to reopen until 17 July.[17][18]

DelhiEdit

The capital city of Delhi saw over 153 millimetres (6.0 in) rain on 9 July 2023, marking the highest precipitation in a single day in July in over 40 years.[19][20] Authorities took measures to relocate numerous individuals residing near Yamuna riverbanks to safer areas. In addition, residents in other susceptible regions were advised to make necessary arrangements for potential evacuations. The traffic flow across a critical bridge spanning the river was disrupted, and schools were closed.[3]

The Yamuna river breached its all-time high-water mark, which had stood for over 45 years.[21] The situation impacted prominent areas, including the street outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and a major road towards Connaught Place, a renowned business center. Chief Minister Kejriwal urged the federal government to regulate the water release from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana, which contributed to the swelling of the Yamuna river.[11] Flooding of the Yamuna river also resulted in water surrounding the Red Fort.[5][8]

Sixteen thousand individuals were provided shelter in relief tents arranged by the Delhi government. The state's governor convened with the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to discuss the flood situation. Kejriwal mentioned that an advisory would be issued for private offices to encourage remote work. Due to the flood-like situation, three water treatment plants in Delhi were temporarily shut down. As a result, water was rationed. Furthermore, heavy vehicles, with the exception of those engaged in essential services, were prohibited from entering Delhi.[22]

KashmirEdit

Due to damage to a national highway, the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage was suspended. As a result, thousands of pilgrims were stranded in nearby areas.[3]

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "India floods: monsoon rains leave 22 dead in north as Delhi sees wettest July day in decades". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Why North India is facing unusually heavy rains, explained". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Flood warning in Delhi as rains batter north India". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sharma, Ashok; Lekhi, Rishi. "Record monsoon rains have killed more than 100 people in northern India over two weeks". AP News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mehrotra, Karishma. "At least 100 dead in northern India after extreme monsoon flooding". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "As heavy rain pounds Delhi, 20 flights cancelled, 120 delayed at airport: Report". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Northern Railways cancels 17 trains, diverts 12 as heavy rain lash North India – Details here". Financial Express. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Yasir, Sameer; Kumar, Hari. "Evacuations Ordered in Delhi: Monsoon Flooding in Pictures". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Fountain, Henry; Levitt, Zach; White, Jeremy. "The Monsoon Is Becoming More Extreme". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  10. ↑ "Monsoon rain grapples Himachal Pradesh as flash floods, landslide claim 91 lives". mint. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Monsoon LIVE News: HP worst-hit as rains continue; PM take stock of situation". mint. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Himachal Pradesh suffered losses of about ₹8,000 crore due to rain: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Large chunks of highway destroyed in India floods". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Khanna, Ruchika M. "Rain fury: Ghaggar, Sutlej rivers in spate in Punjab; flood threat looms over Dera Bassi, Patiala, Sangrur, Ropar". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Vasudeva, Ravinder. "Nearly 150 rural roads, 10 bridges damaged in floods across Punjab, says PWD". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Vasdev, Kanchan. "What's behind the flooding in Punjab and what are the possible solutions?". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Punjab extends schools closure till July 16, to reopen on July 17". www.msn.com. The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  18. ↑ Sharma, Sanjay. "Punjab extends school closure till July 16 due to heavy rains". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Yasir, Sameer; Kumar, Hari. "Deadly Monsoon Flooding and Landslides Lash India". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  20. ↑ Subramaniam, Tara; Suri, Manveena. "New Delhi records wettest July day in decades as deadly floods hit northern India". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  21. ↑ @PTI_News (13 July 2023). "VIDEO | Water from overflowing Yamuna river reaches ITO, a key route to commute from East Delhi to Central Delhi and Connaught Place. The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to a staggering 208.08 metres on Wednesday, smashing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago by a significant margin" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  22. ↑ "Delhi floods: Key roads under water as Yamuna river swells". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

External linksEdit

Template:2023 floods

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