Heavy rain claims 3 lives in Bilaspur

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 1

Three persons were killed and two others injured in a landslide triggered by heavy rain near Gabrola in Bilaspur district, while three houses and two bikes were damaged and agricultural land was washed away following flash floods in Baggi Nalla in the Drang area of Mandi district today.

Rescue teams reached Gabrola and bodies of the victims were retrieved from the debris while the injured persons were rushed to hospital. The deceased were yet to be identified. SDM Harish Ganjoo and Anjum Ara, SP, Bilaspur, reached the spot to supervise the relief and rescue operations.

Heavy rain triggered flash floods in Bagi Nallah in the Drang area of Mandi, washing away agricultural lands and damaged three houses and two bikes and efforts are on to remove the debris. Landslide also blocked roads in the area and the Parashar area was cut off by road.

Landslides also blocked the Theog-Hatkoti National highway and hundreds of vehicles, including apple-laden trucks were stranded. Landslides also occurred in Shimla town near the IGMC and the bypass, disrupting traffic. The vehicular movement came to a virtual halt following a landslide near the Bypass Crossing where the earth had earlier caved in.

Heavy rain lashed parts of Mandi, Kangra, Sirmaur and Shimla districts and Dharamsala was wettest in the state with 69 mm rains, followed by Arki 67 mm, Paonta Sahib 64 mm, Guler-57 mm, Palampur 53 mm, Shimla 49 mm, Naina Devi 46 mm, Jubbar Hatti 44 mm, Rohru 41 mm, Baijnath 39 mm, Mehre 38 mm, Mashobra 34 mm, Renuka and Hamirpur 32 mm each, Pachhad 31 mm, Bharmaur 30 mm, Nahan 29 degree, Gaggal 28 mm, Ghamroor 24 mm, Jubbal and Pandoh 23 mm each, Manali 35 mm, Sarkaghat 19 mm and Dehra Gopipur 17 mm.

The state has received 11 per cent deficit rain in the current monsoon from June 1 to September 1. The deficit was 68 per cent in Lahaul and Spiti, 48 per cent in Chamba, 40 per cent in Kinnaur, 17 per cent in Sirmaur 13 and per cent in Solan. Himachal has received 628.9 mm of rain against the normal rainfall of 707.5 mm.

The local MeT office has predicted continuous wet spell in the region over six days and rain or snow at isolated places in the higher hills.