Light-moderate rainfall in parts of India; flood situation in NE grim

Light to moderate rainfall lashed several parts of north India today, but the inclement weather prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir for the past two days subsided partially, allowing pilgrims to resume the annual Amarnath Yatra.

The southwest monsoon covered the entire country on June 29 and has gained strength since, after remaining weak for more than a week around the middle of the previous month.

Rain lashed parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. A few areas in Delhi received "traces" of rainfall after an increase in humidity levels, Met department officials said.

The maximum temperature remained close to normal in Punjab and Haryana.

In the east, the flood situation in Assam remained grim.

At least 30 people have died due to flooding in seven districts. More than 68,000 people were affected in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Charaideo, Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts, the state disaster management authority said.

The much-awaited publication of the final draft of the National Register of Citizens, a list of state's citizens, on June 30 has been deferred due to flooding in the state.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on telephone and assured him of all possible help from the central government to deal with the situation, an official said in New Delhi.

Singh said the central government was providing all necessary assistance to the northeastern states to tackle the situation. On Friday, four ITBP personnel were crushed to death when a huge boulder, loosened by monsoon rain, rolled down a mountain and hit their vehicle in Lower Siang district.

This was the second landslide-related accident in the state within a week. The toll due to landslides this monsoon in Arunachal Pradesh has risen to nine.

The pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas resumed via Pahalgam and Baltal routes this morning. It was suspended yesterday due to inclement weather.

The fourth batch of 6,877 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the twin camps in Kashmir after authorities allowed the yatra to resume from Jammu following the restoration of traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway.

The water level in Jhelum river has started to recede.

The pilgrimage to the 3,880 metre-high shrine commenced on June 28 after several hours of delay and has faced frequent disruptions because of incessant rainfall in the region.

The 60-day yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 26 coinciding with the 'Raksha Bandhan' festival.

According to the Nagpur Regional Meteorological Centre, monsoon rainfall remained normal Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The regional Met offices forecast light to moderate rainfall in most parts of the country, including peninsular India, during the next 24 hours.