Shimla, 09 July (Hindustan Times). The process of rain continued in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday as well. Due to heavy rains, incidents of landslides and floods are coming to the fore in many places. Five people died in 27 incidents of floods and landslides in the last 24 hours. During this, 11 houses were damaged. Due to landslides at many places on the Kalka-Shimla heritage rail route, the movement of trains has come to a standstill.
Nature has wreaked havoc in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Solan districts. Three people died in Shimla and one each in Chamba and Kullu. These include an 11-year-old teenager. All the major rivers, tributaries and drains of the state are in spate due to torrential rains. Water-logging and erosion of roads have been observed at many places. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has appealed to the people to be alert and not to go near rivers and drains in view of the heavy rains. He has declared a holiday for the next two days i.e. July 10 and 11 in the schools and colleges of the state. Following the order of the Chief Minister, the Directorate of Education has issued notification of holiday for the next two days in all government and private colleges. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain for the next 24 hours.
According to the report of the State Disaster Management Authority, a couple including a child died in a house collapse at Kotgarh in Shimla district. A man died in a landslide at Kakian in Chamba and a woman at Lankabekar in Kullu. Two vehicles were washed away after a bridge was damaged by floods at Sangla in Kinnaur district.
According to the report of the Disaster Management Authority, 736 roads including three National Highways, 1743 power transformers and 138 water schemes have been closed across the state due to widespread rains. Landslides blocked Mandi-Kullu National Highway-21 in Mandi district, National Highway-707 in Sirmaur district and National Highway-505 in Lahaul-Spiti. Maximum 172 roads have been closed in Mandi district. Similarly, 122 roads were blocked in Shimla, 120 in Kullu, 88 in Lahaul-Spiti, 82 in Solan, 76 in Chamba, 48 in Sirmaur, 13 in Una, eight in Bilaspur and four in Kinnaur. Many areas were plunged into darkness as 1743 transformers were shut down due to heavy rains. 720 transformers were damaged in Solan, 579 in Una, 488 in Kullu, 407 in Sirmaur, 311 in Mandi, 160 in Kinnaur, 111 in Shimla, 102 in Bilaspur, 70 in Chamba and three in Kangra.
Trees fell at many places in Shimla, life affected
Widespread rains threw life out of gear in the capital Shimla. In many places, traffic has been affected due to the obstruction of roads due to falling trees, while vehicles have also been damaged. A huge tree fell on a car in Fagli area of the city in the morning. The mother was also present in the car along with the innocent child. Both of them narrowly escaped the accident.
On the Shimla-Manali National Highway-205, a landslide is occurring from under the iron bridge near Ghandal, due to which the traffic on the bridge has been made one-way. Shimla Police has given instructions that the vehicles going from Shimla to Lower Himachal will pass through the iron bridge near Ghandal, while the vehicles coming from Lower Himachal towards Shimla have been given the route of Kalihatti, Nalhatti, Haridevi. . The iron bridge on National Highway-5 in Theog has been closed for all types of load trucks as a precautionary measure. However, the bridge will remain open for other traffic.
Widespread rains in Una and Bilaspur districts
According to the Meteorological Department, Rampur in Una district has recorded maximum rainfall of 23 cm in the last 24 hours. 22 in RL BBMB of Bilaspur, 19 in Rohru of Shimla, 18 in Sangrah of Sirmaur, 17-17 in Dehra Gopipur, Kasauli, Kahu, Una and Ghamrur, 16-16 in Naina Devi, Nadaun and Chuadi, Arki, Barthin, Chamba and Guler 15-15, Dalhousie and Pachhad 14-14, Agghar, Manali, Nahan, Bilaspur, Jogindernagar, Dharamshala, Jaton Barrage and Kandaghat 13-13, Gondla, Kangra and Solan 11-11, Shimla and Sujanpur Tehra In 10-10, Palampur, Baldwara, Katuala, Gohar and Narkanda received nine-nine, Sundernagar, Mandi and Sarahan eight-eight centimeters of rain.
Warning of heavy rain for the next 24 hours
Meteorological Department Director Surendra Paul said that due to the activation of monsoon, heavy rains will continue in the state for the next 24 hours. There will be a yellow alert for heavy rain in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts. Flood warnings have been sounded in Lahaul-Spiti, Kangra, Chamba, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Sirmaur, Solan and Una districts.
