As North India battles severe monsoon, heavy rain lashes parts of Tamil Nadu too

• Many rivers, including the Yamuna in Delhi, are overflowing and a warning has been issued in Delhi.
• The Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are dealing with multiple rescue operations.
• As many as 12 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in the past 24 hours in Uttar Pradesh.

As the north Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab etc. continue to battle the severe catastrophe caused by heavy rainfall induced floods, southern India seems to be getting its share of some heavy showers now.

Heavy rains battered Chennai and surrounding areas throwing life out of gear in many Tamil Nadu districts on Thursday morning. In several part of Chennai and adjoining areas, the incessant downpour led to traffic congestion with long spiraling queues of vehicles on the roads. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast moderate rains and thunderstorms in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, and Thiruvannamalai districts during the day.

Notably, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rains in some parts of Tamil Nadu along with thunderstorms. Several districts in Coastal Andhra Pradesh are also set to receive heavy downpour.

Rain update from the northern states

Uttar Pradesh sees more deaths: As many as twelve people were killed in rain-related incidents in the past 24 hours, the Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner said in a statement issued at 8 pm on Wednesday, as heavy rain continued to batter the state. "In the past 24 hours, while nine (people) died due to drowning, one each due to lightning (strike), snakebite and heavy rainfall," the statement said.

Rescue work continues in Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh minister Jagat Singh Negi and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sanjay Avasthi on Thursday reached Chandertal in Lahaul and Spiti district to evacuate 290 people, mostly tourists. About 300 people, mostly tourists, have been stranded in Chandertal since Saturday.

The state has reported as many as 88 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents since the onset of monsoon in the state on June 24.

Delhi water treatment plants shut: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that due to the increasing water level of the Yamuna river, his government has decided to shut down three water treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla which will lead to water scarcity in few areas.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory on the restrictions and regulation of vehicular movement in place owing to the rising water level of the Yamuna river.

Uttarakhand roads blocked due to land slide: Following a torrential downpour in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, a boulder fell from a hill near Chhinka, causing a roadblock on Thursday morning.

The Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) is also blocked due to falling boulders and debris from the hill, on a highway near Pipalkotim, on account of heavy and unrelenting rainfall. The same highway was blocked at several other points including Pagalnala, Gulabkoti and Helang, following the landslides in the region in the face of heavy rainfall.

Over 1,000 villages affected in Punjab: As many as 1,058 villages of 14 districts in Punjab are affected by floods, according to an official statement. The affected villages include 364 in Rupnagar, 268 in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, 250 in Patiala, 71 in Jalandhar, 30 in Moga, 25 in Hoshiarpur, 16 in Ludhiana, three each in Sangrur and Ferozepur, and six in Tarn Taran, it said.

(With text inputs from ANI, IANS and PTI)