At least 15 people have been killed in India after heavy monsoon rains triggered flash floods and landslides near the Himalayan foothills.
Rescue officials were rushed on Saturday to Mandi district in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh where a torrent of floodwater swept away two houses and killed eight people, a government statement said.
Landslides and flooding claimed seven other lives across the state, the release added.
Television news footage showed part of a railway bridge washed away by the deluge in nearby Kangra district. Schools were closed in the worst-affected districts.
In Hamipur district, flash floods stranded 19 people on the rooftops of local buildings before they were rescued by disaster response teams.
READ MORE: Several dead, missing after flash floods in northwest China
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp5-2QN7B0c[/embed]
Climate crisis
Of those dead, eight family members were buried alive on Saturday in Himachal Pradesh after their home collapsed due to heavy rain, Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary told Anadolu Agency.
"There were flash floods, landslides in multiple places due to heavy rains. So far, we have recovered 10 bodies. Around 3-5 people are still missing," Chaudhary said.
"A search and rescue operation is underway to find the missing people," he added.
Flooding and landslides are common and cause widespread devastation during India's treacherous monsoon season.
Last month, eight people died after flash floods triggered by a sudden downpour struck a camp for pilgrims in nearby Kashmir.
Heavy rains battered India's remote northeast in June, with nearly 40 killed in a landslide that swamped a camp housing railway workers and army reservists in Manipur state.
Experts say the climate crisis is increasing the number of extreme weather events around the world, with damming, deforestation and development projects in India exacerbating the human toll.
READ MORE: Families flee as 'frightening' floods hit New Zealand
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
KARACHI: As the city continues to reel from the shocks of the previous rain spells, another monsoon system is expected to enter Sindh today, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The PMD, in an advisory, said that monsoon currents of moderate intensity are likely to enter eastern Sindh from August 5.
Under the influence of this weather system, the advisory added, rain-thunderstorms with a few moderate and isolated heavy falls are expected in Tharparker, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Tando Muhammad khan, Tando Allayar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Thatta, Sujawal, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Ghotki, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Dadu, Jamshoro and Qambar Shahdadkot districts between August 5 and 9.
In Karachi, however, it will cause rain between August 6 and 9.
The heavy rain may cause water-logging in low-lying areas of Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Jamshoro and Qambar Shahdadkot districts during the forecast period.
As per the PMD, another monsoon is expected after August 10, causing more rains in Karachi.
The second week of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a stormy note on Monday as the Opposition continued its protests and sloganeering over price rise, GST and other issues. Like the first week, both the Houses were unable to transact much business on the day’s list. The stalemate in the Parliament is unlikely to end today as the Opposition is expected to take up the suspension of four Congress MPs from Lok Sabha on Monday.
On the listed business for today, the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 is listed for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha. The House is also scheduled to take up a discussion on the need to promote sports in the country at a time when the Commonwealth Games is poised to begin in Birmingham and Chennai gearing up to host Chess Olympiad. In Rajya Sabha, the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 has been listed for passing.
However the morning session of both Houses has been washed out amid sloganeering by Opposition demanding a debate on GST, inflation. Both Houses have now been adjourned till 2:00 p.m.
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Here are the live updates:
Lok Sabha| 2:30 p.m.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tables The Family Court (Amendment) Bill, 2022 for consideration and passing. Whilst introducing the bill, he stated that the amendment is minor and it would be ideal if it could passed today itself.
Rajya Sabha| 2:25 p.m.
V Murleedharan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs moves the motion and Chair adopts the resolution to suspend MPs disrupting the proceedings of the House from the services of the council for the remainder of the week under Rule 256.
MPs suspended include Mausam Noor, Dola Sen, Shantanu Sen, Sushmita Dev, Nadimul Haque, MM Abdullah, AA Rahim, R Girirajan, and V Sivadasan, among others
Rajya Sabha| 2:12 p.m.
The Chair questions whether the MPs should come into the well, holding placards. He says that if the disruption persists, he will have to invoke Rule 256 and name the members. Opposition continues to engage in sloganeering. The Chair starts naming members, and requests them to take their seats. “ Mehangai peh charcha ho,” “ GST pe vapas lo” rings through the House as it devolves into chaos.
Lok Sabha| 2:06 p.m.
House resumes post adjournment with Rajendra Agrawal in the chair. It is expected to take up matters under Rule 377. Opposition benches reiterate their demand for a discussion on price rise and GST.
Rajya Sabha| 2:05 p.m.
Chair invites members to speak about the Weapons of Mass Destruction Amendment Bill, 2022. Members continue to speak about price rise issue.
Rajya Sabha | 1:00 p.m.
Amid continued sloganeering by Opposition MPs, Rajya Sabha has now been adjourned to 2:00 p.m.
Lok Sabha | 12:57 p.m.
Ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs take out protest march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk. The Wayanad MP claims that Opposition MPs want debate on inflation, unemployment however such discussions were not allowed in Parliament. Moreover, he added that Delhi Police were not allowing MPs to sit in protest at Vijay Chowk.
He has now been detained by Delhi police and taken to Parliament Street police station
Rajya Sabha | 12:50 p.m.
As Opposition MPs continue sloganeering against GST; MPs raise queries on the recent hike on GST on some products. Dy Chair urges Opposition parties to ask their MPs to vacate the well and raise their queries
Rajya Sabha | 12:20 p.m.
Proceedings resume in Rajya Sabha after multiple adjournments. Deputy Chair Harivansh Narayan Singh continues taking up issues under Question Hour. Opposition MPs continue sloganeering on GST, hooch tragedy in Gujarat
Lok Sabha | 12.02 p.m.
The four Congress Lok Sabha MPs, who were suspended for the rest of Monsoon Session yesterday, held a protest against their suspension in Parliament premises. The suspended MPs, Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T N Prathapan and S Jothi Mani alleged that their suspension amounted to "murder of democracy". In a show of solidarity, leaders of Left parties, NCP, DMK and the Congress joined them in the protest and raised slogans against the government.
Lok Sabha | 12:08 p.m.
Moments after the Lok Sabha took up matters under Rule 377, Opposition MPs resorted to sloganeering, following which the House was adjourned till 2 p.m.
Rajya Sabha | 12:05 p.m
Amid continued sloganeering, Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for 15 minutes
Rajya Sabha | 12:01 p.m.
The Upper House resumes proceedings as Opposition MPs display protest placards near Chair. Dy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh urges MPs to stop ruckus.
Lok Sabha | 11.46 a.m.
The proceedings have resumed in the Lok Sabha. Mr. Rajendra Agrawal is in the Chair. Question Hour is being taken up
Lok Sabha | 11.27 a.m.
Amid sloganeering by protesting MPs, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 11.45 a.m. However, before adjourning, he warned MPs not to wave placards or raise slogans in the House. “This is your House, you can debate, or agree or disagree with each other. I don’t want to take action against any MP. But remember the House is not for waving placards. It is for holding discussions on issues of public importance. People of the country don’t want to see you in Parliament with banners and placards,” the Speaker said as he urged Opposition MPs to return to their seats. He also added that questions on GST have been listed in today’s business.
Lok Sabha | 11.07 a.m.
Lok Sabha proceedings on Monday resumed with Question Hour on Tuesday. However, protests by Opposition members continued over price rise, with Speaker Om Birla urging members not to disrupt proceedings of the Lower House.
Lok Sabha | 11: 00 am
The Lok Sabha began proceedings on Tuesday with tributes to soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the Kargil war. The day is observed as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the war. Opposition MPs continue sloganeering
Rajya Sabha | 11: 00 am
Rajya Sabha begins proceedings amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu reads out suspension notices. Due to continued ruckus, House is adjourned to 12 noon.
Rajya Sabha | 10:39 am
AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, CPI MP Binoy Viswam give Suspension of Business Notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to discuss the recent GST rate hike, inflation. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi seeks suspension of business to discus “misuse of CBI, ED, IT for political agendas”
Rajya Sabha | 10.35 am
Bill for consideration and passing:
The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022.
Lok Sabha | 10.30 am
Bill for consideration and passing:
The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022
Discussion under Rule 193:
The need to promote sports in the country and the steps taken by the government.
Parliament | 10.17 a.m.
In this episode of the Parliament Watch podcast, we cover the swearing-in ceremony of Draupadi Murmu as the 15th president, suspension of four Congress members, and multiple adjournments over sloganeering.
Parliament | 10.05 a.m.
In Lok Sabha, Opposition protests over price rise, GST and other issues marred proceedings in Lok Sabha, with four Congress members suspended for the rest of the session. Speaker Om Birla warned the protesting members, including from the Congress, TMC and DMK, asking them not to raise slogans and display placards. He told them that the government was ready to discuss issues raised by them and stressed that people want the House to function. Proceedings were adjourned.
When the session resumed, Rajendra Agarwal, who was chairing the proceedings, asked the opposition members to take note of the warning given by the Speaker. As the protesting opposition members again stalled proceedings, the Chair named Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, TN Prathapan, Jothimani and Ramya Haridas. He said that the members who had been suspended had shown “stubborn behaviour”, “deliberately and continuously disrupted proceedings” and ignored House rules and directions of the Speaker. The House then passed the resolution by a voice vote and suspension of the four MPs was announced.
The Rajya Sabha took up discussion on a bill on the weapon of mass destruction and their delivery systems, but proceedings were disrupted amid protests and sloganeering.
