122 roads closed after landslides; Met warns of heavy rain

Shimla, August 3

An alert has been sounded following warning of heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in lower and mid hills on August 5 and 6 in the state.

The Met Department has also predicted thundershowers and rain in lower, mid and higher hills from August 4 to 9, keeping people on tenterhooks.

The rain triggered landslides at numerous places and uprooted trees, blocked vehicular traffic on Sanjauli-Dhalli bypass while 122 roads were closed due to landslides.

Paonta Sahib was the wettest with 97mm rain while Kasauli and Sujanpur Tira recorded 76 mm and 67 mm rain, followed by Dharampur 45 mm, Jogindernagar 18 mm, Baijnath and Palampur 15 mm, Ghumarwin and Berthin 8 mm, Dharamsala and Bhuntar 7 mm, Bharari, Dehra Gopipur, Renuka and Gaggal 6 mm and Bakloh, Arki and Guler 5 mm.

The heavy rain during past 72 hours has brought down monsoon deficit from June 1 to August 3 from 32 per cent to 28 per cent.

The rains caused marginal fall in day temperatures and Bhuntar was the hottest during the day with a high of 32.2 degree while Paonta Sahib and Una recorded maximum temperatures at 32 degree and 31.8 degree, followed by Sundernagar 31.3 degree, Nahan 28 degree, Dharamsala and Solan 27.5 degree, Manali 25 degree, Shimla 22.6 degree, Kalpa 22.4 degree and Keylong 20.5 degree and Kufri 15.8 degree. — TNS

Una rain damage pegged at Rs 15.5 crore; relief ordered

• The Revenue Department has pegged Rs 15.5 crore loss to property and crops due to heavy rain in Una district. 
• In a press note, DC Sandeep Kumar said the Irrigation and Public Health Department suffered the maximum loss of Rs 5.77 crore to drinking water, irrigation and sewerage schemes. 
• The Public Works Department had calculated the loss to the tune of Rs 5.34 crore in terms of damaged roads, drains, culverts and retaining walls. The Swan  channelisation work had incurred damages amounting to Rs 3.33 crore to the embankments. 
• Sandeep said the crop on 245 hectares in Haroli was washed away, incurring losses to the tune of Rs 14.1 lakh to farmers. He said 33 brick masonry houses, 44 mud houses and 29 cattle sheds were damaged due to rain and the total loss had been calculated at Rs 26.25 lakh.     
• Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar inspected various locations where water had caused extensive damage. He directed the district administration to provide relief to the affected persons and expedite the repair works.