Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: At least nine persons were killed and 14 others injured in the past three days in Himachal Pradesh as extremely heavy rains triggered by cloudburst, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in the hill state, officials said on Monday.
Hundreds of people, including tourists, were stranded for 23 hours in the Mandi district as the busy Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked due to landslides, causing massive traffic snarls on the 70-km Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch. The highway was partially opened for vehicular movement by Monday evening.
Officials said urgent restoration work was carried out and explosives were used to blast away heavy boulders blocking the road. The alternative Mandi-Kullu route via Katola, which was blocked due to a landslide, was also opened after almost 20 hours to allow small vehicles to pass through.
According to officials, a total of 301 roads are closed in the state following heavy rains, while 140 power transformers are disrupted. One cloudburst incident, seven landslides and four flash floods were reported across the state.
Flash floods were witnessed in Khotinallah near Aut, about 40 km from Mandi town, on the Pandoh-Kullu stretch due to heavy downpour.
Data released by the State Emergency Operations Centre for the June 24-26 period said three persons drowned, three others were killed in road accidents caused by rains, two fell to their death from a steep rock, while one person was killed in a landslide. Officials said one person is missing.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the state on Tuesday. Surendra Paul, director of IMD, Himachal Pradesh, said: “There has been widespread rain in the past 48 hours. Mandi has got most of the showers and it is still raining. This condition will remain for 4-5 days.”
In view of the prevailing situation and weather forecast, the state government has urged tourists to prioritise their safety while planning their trip. Around 20 houses were reportedly damaged and over 300 livestock perished in rain-related incidents in the state. Officials pegged the loss so far at Rs 102.38 crore, based on initial estimates.
4 dead in lightning strikes in RajasthanAt least four persons were killed in lightning strikes in Rajasthan on Monday. A few others were also reportedly injured as the first monsoon rains drenched some parts of the state. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday has been put off in view of heavy rain warning, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday
CHANDIGARH: At least nine persons were killed and 14 others injured in the past three days in Himachal Pradesh as extremely heavy rains triggered by cloudburst, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in the hill state, officials said on Monday.
Hundreds of people, including tourists, were stranded for 23 hours in the Mandi district as the busy Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked due to landslides, causing massive traffic snarls on the 70-km Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch. The highway was partially opened for vehicular movement by Monday evening.
Officials said urgent restoration work was carried out and explosives were used to blast away heavy boulders blocking the road. The alternative Mandi-Kullu route via Katola, which was blocked due to a landslide, was also opened after almost 20 hours to allow small vehicles to pass through.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
According to officials, a total of 301 roads are closed in the state following heavy rains, while 140 power transformers are disrupted. One cloudburst incident, seven landslides and four flash floods were reported across the state.
Flash floods were witnessed in Khotinallah near Aut, about 40 km from Mandi town, on the Pandoh-Kullu stretch due to heavy downpour.
Data released by the State Emergency Operations Centre for the June 24-26 period said three persons drowned, three others were killed in road accidents caused by rains, two fell to their death from a steep rock, while one person was killed in a landslide. Officials said one person is missing.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the state on Tuesday. Surendra Paul, director of IMD, Himachal Pradesh, said: “There has been widespread rain in the past 48 hours. Mandi has got most of the showers and it is still raining. This condition will remain for 4-5 days.”
In view of the prevailing situation and weather forecast, the state government has urged tourists to prioritise their safety while planning their trip. Around 20 houses were reportedly damaged and over 300 livestock perished in rain-related incidents in the state. Officials pegged the loss so far at Rs 102.38 crore, based on initial estimates.
4 dead in lightning strikes in Rajasthan
At least four persons were killed in lightning strikes in Rajasthan on Monday. A few others were also reportedly injured as the first monsoon rains drenched some parts of the state. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday has been put off in view of heavy rain warning, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday
