Shimla: Flash floods and landslides triggered by days of heavy rains led to the closure of 87 roads in different parts of Himachal Pradesh, the state emergency operation centre said on Monday. The meteorological centre here has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rain at isolated places in the state till Thursday.Himachal Pradesh has been pummelled by heavy rains for almost a week. Thirteen people died in flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts on July 31 and 40 are missing. Thirty roads were closed in Kullu, 25 in Mandi, 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, nine in Shimla, seven in Kangra and two in Kinnaur on Sunday evening, the state emergency response centre said.The Sansari-Killar-Thirot-Tandi (SKTT) road in Udaipur sub-division of Lahaul and Spiti was blocked after a flash flood at Dhandhal nullah, police said. With the Chandrabhaga river in spate, the deputy head of Tadang village in Lahaul and Spiti was notified and residents were asked to move to Junda village, they said. Hamirpur has received the highest rainfall of 67 mm since Sunday evening, followed by 44 mm in Aghar, 42 mm in Jogindernagar, 38 mm in Nadaun, 32.3 mm in Dehra Gopipur, 28 mm in Palampur and 27.5 mm each in Dhaula Kuan and Nahan. Intermittent rains continued in parts of the state.The Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy showers, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places till August 8. It also warned about the possibility of landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas and damage to plantations and standing crops, vulnerable structures and ‘kutcha’ houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas. According to officials, 79 people were killed in rain-related incidents between June 27 and August 4 and the state suffered losses amounting to Rs 663 crore.
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