493 roads blocked; yellow warning issued for today

As many as 493 roads, including three National Highways (NHs), remain blocked while about 352 transformers remain disrupted across the state as heavy rainfall continues to wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh.

As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, about 155 roads, including NH 03 and NH 305, are blocked in Kullu, 152 in Mandi, 57 in Shimla, 29 in Kangra, 26 in Chamba, 19 in Sirmaur, 18, including NH 503A, in Una, 14 in Solan, 12 in Bilaspur, nine in Hamirpur and two in Kinnaur district.

Also, out of 500 transformers, as many as 170 are disrupted in Mandi, 75 in Kullu, 74 in Hamirpur, 25 in Chamba and eight in Kangra district, leaving many areas of these districts without electricity. Apart from this, as many as 163 water supply schemes including 53 in Mandi, 49 in Shimla, 21 in Hamirpur, 19 in Chamba, 16 in Kangra, four in Solan and one in Bilaspur district also remain disrupted, affecting the drinking water supply in many areas of the state.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall continues to occur in many parts of the state during the past 24 hours. Bhattiyat in Chamba district received 100 mm rain which was the highest, followed by Jogindernagar in Mandi district, which received 60 mm rain. Palampur in Kangra district recorded 48 mm rain, Pandoh in Mandi district 40 mm, Kangra 34 mm, Mandi 27.5 mm, Sundernagar 11.4 mm, Nadaun 10 mm, Dharamsala 6.5 mm and Una 3.8 mm.

Himachal Pradesh is likely to witness heavy rainfall on September 16 as the State’s Meteorological Department has issued a yellow weather warning for Shimla, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts, resulting in heavy spell of rains in isolated places of these districts. The department has also predicted rainfall across the state till September 21.