Heavy rainfall lashes Kumaon; landslides damage houses

Heavy rainfall continued to lash various parts of Uttarakhand, especially the Kumaun region, leading to landslides and rising water levels in several rivers.

Intermittent showers were reported in the Udham Singh Nagar and Champavat districts in Kumaun region.

Separate cases of landslides in two villages in the Munsyari area of Pithoragarh district caused damage to six houses.

All major rivers flowing through the state registered an increase in water levels including Ganga, Yamuna, Kosi and Sharda.

'We are consistently monitoring the water levels and are on an alert to deal with any eventuality,' district authorities said today.

Meanwhile, a team of officials from various Union ministies headed by Joint Secretary (Home), Lokesh Jha, met Uttarakhand chief secretary Subash Kumar today to discuss the losses caused by last month's natural disaster in the state.

The team later left for a tour of the affected areas where relief work is continuing amidst the heavy rainfall.

The 11-membered body, which will stay in the state till July 20, will take stock of the damages and submit its report to the inter-ministerial panel formed by the Union government.

Meanwhile, Punjab National Bank yesterday donated Rs 7 crore towards the relief fund for the victims of the Uttarakhand tragedy.

KR Kamath, CMD of the bank, met Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna here and handed over the cheque to him as a gesture of solidarity with the victims.