Shimla, 30 June (Hindustan Times). Due to heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, landslides happening at various places are becoming a problem. Traffic has been affected as several roads have been blocked by landslides. Nine incidents of landslides have been reported in the last six days during the monsoon season. During this, 41 houses were damaged and five houses and two shops were completely razed. Apart from these, 36 houses have suffered partial damage and 21 cow shelters have also collapsed.
The State Disaster Management Authority said on Friday that till now 30 roads have been blocked due to landslides across the state, while 88 transformers remained closed and 11 drinking water schemes of the Jal Shakti Department have come to a standstill. Heavy rain blocked 13 roads in Mandi district, 11 in Shimla, two each in Kangra and Kullu and one each in Chamba and Sirmaur. Apart from this, 88 transformers have failed in Chamba district. 66 transformers in Pangi sub-division and 22 in Dalhousie are defective. Nine water supply projects in Shimla and two in Kullu district are also affected.
According to the department, five houses and two shops were completely destroyed due to the rains in the last six days, while 36 houses suffered partial damage. 21 cowsheds also collapsed due to the rain. Heavy rains have so far damaged property worth Rs 219 crore in Himachal. So far 20 people have lost their lives in rain-related accidents in six days of the monsoon season. Of these, the maximum number of seven deaths have occurred in Shimla district. Three people each died in Hamirpur and Mandi, two each in Chamba and Solan and one person each in Kangra, Kullu and Una. Two people are also missing in the accidents. 34 people have been injured due to landslides and other accidents in the monsoon rains. Apart from this, 352 animals have also died.
The Meteorological Department has expressed the possibility of bad weather in the state till July 3. However, no heavy rain alert has been issued anywhere during this period. During the last 24 hours, there has been a decrease in the pace of rain. Sundernagar received 21 mm of rain, Kufri and Barthin 13 mm each, Dhaulakuan 11 mm, Nahan 7 mm, Kangra 4 mm, Dharamshala 3 mm and Shimla 2 mm.
