Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Himachal; 5 killed in landslides, several shops washed away in Mandi, Chandigarh-Manali highway shut

Tribune News Service

Shimla/Mandi/Dharamsala, July 9

Heavy rain pounded Himachal Pradesh, triggering landslides, damaging houses and leaving five people dead, officials said on Sunday.

Three members of a family were killed in a house collapse following landslide due to rain in Kotgarh area of Shimla district. 

A landslide also damaged a makeshift house near Kullu town, leaving a woman dead.

In another incident, a person was buried alive following a landslide in Katiyan tehsil of Chamba on Saturday night.

Thirteen landslides and nine flash floods have been reported in the state in the past 36 hours, according to the state emergency operation centre.

Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts, causing considerable loss to the private and government property.

Several shops were washed away in flash flood at Bahang near Manali, while one under-construction house was submerged in the flooded Beas river near Patlikuhal in Kullu district. One woman was rescued from under the debris in Kullu.

After heavy overnight rainfall, Pandoh dam authorities opened the floodgates of the dam to release extra water. As a result, the water level of the Beas river has increased manifold, which is flowing above the danger mark.

Heavy rain submerged Pandoh bazaar into water. Six members of a family were rescued from the area by the Mandi district administration.

Banjar vegetable market was also flooded by heavy rain.

One car was washed away in the Beas from Akhara bazaar parking.

The Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked to vehicular traffic due to major landslide at 6 mile between Mandi and Pandoh. As a result, traffic has become standstill on this highway.

In Kullu district, the Aut-Luhri highway was blocked due to landslide near Banjar.

In Lahaul and Spiti, Losar received fresh snowfall due to plummeting temperature.

The Gramphu-Kaza highway in Lahaul and Spiti is still blocked to traffic.

A total of 736 roads, including three national highways, have been blocked for traffic in the sate. As many as 1,743 distribution transformers have been affected and 138 water schemes are disrupted due to heavy rain over the last 24 hours.  

The National Highway 21 is blocked at 6 mile (name of the place). This is the same place where the commuters were struck for almost 24 hours on June 27 last due to a landslide. Mandi-Kullu road via Kamand was also blocked near Ghoda farm. The Manali-Chandigarh also caved in near Manali.

There were reports of shops being swept away in Manali, vehicles being washed away in flash floods at Nullah in Kullu, Kinnaur and Chamba and loss to agricultural land. Several roads have also been closed in Shimla districts.

All the major rivers, including Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Chenab, are in spate and tourists and commuters have been asked to avoid travelling during heavy rains and not to venture out near river bodies.

Three killed in Kotgarh village in Shimla

Three members of a family died in a Kotgarh village in Shimla district after their house collapsed due to a landslide on Sunday morning. The deceased were identified as Anil, his wife Kiran and son Swapnil, officials said.

Rain-triggered landslides hit vehicular movement in many parts of Shimla district. Traffic was affected near Tutikandi bypass due to trees and debris on the road, while the Anadale road and Panthaghati-Kasumpti road were closed due to debris on the road.

Red alert has been issued for extremely heavy rainfall over the next three hours at one or two places in the districts of Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur.

Rivers in spate in Kangra, roads blocked

Heavy rain that has been continuing for the past more than 24 hours has caused damage to public and private property in Kangra district. 

Many roads, including the Dharamsala-Mcleodganj, Naddi-Stobary, Dehra-Chintpurni, were blocked due to landslides.

In Dharamsala, a tree fell due to heavy rain and damaged a private car and blocked traffic on a road near the education board. There were reports of damage to properties from other parts of district due to tree fall incidents.

Most of rivers in the region were in spate but there were no reports of damage to properties so far.

The Met office has issued a warning of isolated extremely heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand throughout Sunday. Heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in isolated areas of Jammu and Kashmir until Monday, and in eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab until Sunday.

Moderate to high flash flood threat likely over few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during next six hours, according to IMD. —with PTI

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.