Nearly 110 dead in 4 days due to heavy rains across country; Patna struggles to stay afloat
New Delhi: Nearly 110 people died in rain-related incidents across the country in the past four days, with Uttar Pradesh reporting the maximum deaths, while incessant rainfall in Bihar has badly hit normal life, with almost all areas of capital city Patna under knee-deep waters and people struggling to meet their daily needs.
In what the weather department said could be the longest delayed withdrawal of Monsoon, rains continued to lash several states including Bihar, where at least 13 people have died over the past 48 hours, while large swathes were inundated, affecting railway traffic, healthcare services, schools and disrupting power supply.
In Uttar Pradesh, at least 79 people have died since Thursday. According to a state government report, 25 people died on Saturday, 18 lost their lives on Friday and 36 the day before.
In Gujarat, three women drowned after their car was swept away at a flooded causeway in Rajkot district on Sunday following heavy rains in several parts of Saurashtra region, officials said.
As many as 13 deaths were also reported on Saturday from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in incidents triggered by heavy rains.
Meanwhile, IMD Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra said on Sunday that the four-month monsoon season which is officially ending on Monday is unlikely to withdraw even till the weekend. The IMD said active monsoon still prevails over parts of Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
In hard-hit Bihar, a bird's eye view of state capital Patna made the city appear like a huge lake dotted with concrete structures. Posh low-lying areas like Rajendra Nagar and Pataliputra Colony are flooded. Private hospitals, medical stores and other shops were submerged in waist-deep water.
While people waded through the waterlogged streets, boats of Nation Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were also out in some areas of the city rescuing residents.
According to the weather department, the state capital has received more than 200 mm of rainfall since Friday evening, which Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyay Amrit described as "totally unexpected". He also expressed concern over water having entered many power sub-stations which may affect the functioning of sump houses.
The East Central Railway, headquartered in Hajipur, said close to 30 trains have been cancelled and many others short-terminated or diverted on account of the flooding of Patna and Danapur junctions and many other smaller stations.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after from a video conference with district magistrates, told reporters, "We are making all possible efforts. I would appeal to the people of the state to have patience and courage."
"In the event of water entering a sub-station, power has to be disconnected to avoid major casualties. Sump houses then become dependent on diesel. But the availability of fuel is finite and if heavy rainfall persists, pumping out water from inundated streets could be hampered drastically," Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyay Amrit said.
Three people died in Bhagalpur when the boundary wall of a temple collapsed in Barari police station area while as many people were buried alive when a house caved in at Khanjarpur area, District Magistrate, Pranav Kumar said.
In Danapur, on the outskirts of Patna, a one-year-old girl and three women died when a tree fell on an autorickshaw carrying them.
Three deaths also were reported from Bhabhua, the district headquarters of Kaimur, where continuous rain led to the collapse of two mud houses. In Nawada, efforts were on to trace three locals who were reportedly swept away in the current.
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind's scheduled programme on Sunday at Jharkhand's Gumla district has been cancelled, an official statement said.
Though the reason for the cancellation was not mentioned in the statement, sources said the decision was taken owing to heavy rain across the region.
Train services on the Ballia-Chhapra section of the North Eastern Railway (NER) was disrupted due to heavy rain on Sunday. Public Relations Officer, NER, Mahesh Gupta said seven trains on this section has been cancelled, while six trains have been diverted.
In Kolkata also, several streets have been waterlogged due to heavy rains.
In J&K, a 54-year-old sub inspector of the BSF is suspected to have drowned in a swollen river along the International Border (IB) in Jammu, officials said on Sunday.
They said the Border Security Force has launched a massive search operation and also intimated their Pakistani counterparts after Sub-Inspector (SI) Paritosh Mondal went missing from the bank of a river near the Jaikishan post in Arnia sector on Saturday around 6 pm.
The SI, belonging to the 36th battalion of the force, is said to be accompanied by two constables of the force and were out for an area domination patrol when he went missing. The river is in spate due to heavy rains, they said.
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TN govt reaffirms 21-yr age limit for liquor sales
Chennai (PTI): Seeking to curb rising alcohol consumption among minors in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has reinforced the legal age requirement of 21 for all liquor purchases and consumption.
The government has also ordered the closure of 717 liquor outlets across the state and warned of strict action against those who violate the new directives.
The state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the agency which holds a monopoly on sales of liquor, will be shutting 276 outlets near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 outlets near bus stations.
A senior TASMAC official on Thursday said that the staff at liquor shops have been instructed to check identity proof, including Aadhaar card, for all customers whose age is in question.
The official also said that the state government is considering a reduction in operational hours.
Currently, the liquor shops across the state operate from 12 noon to 10 pm.
"They are weighing a proposal to move the closing time to 8 pm," he added.
At present, the TASMAC operates a total of 4,765 liquor shops across the state. After the closure of 717 shops, it would come down to 4,048 outlets.
In 2025, the revenue from liquor sales stood at Rs 48,344 crore, which is the second highest after the registration department.
