Himachal rains: Over 500 roads blocked, two injured in Shimla landslides

560 roads including three National Highways (NH) remain blocked for vehicular traffic while about 936 distribution transformers also remain disrupted as torrential rain continues to wreak havoc across the state.

As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, 213 roads including NH 03 are closed in Mandi district, the highest in the state, while 161 including NH 305 are blocked in Kullu district. Similarly, 60 roads are blocked in Kangra, 38 in Sirmaur, 28 in Shimla, 23 in Una, 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Solan, and one each in Hamirpur and Kinnaur, including NH 5, also remain unavailable for vehicular traffic.

Moreover, out of total 936 distribution transformers that have been disrupted, 651 are in Mandi, 189 in Kullu, 40 in Sirmaur, 38 in Solan, nine in Lahaul and Spiti, five in Kangra and one in Kinnaur, affecting electricity supply across the state.

Additionally, 233 water supply schemes including 72 in Mandi, 52 in Shimla, 35 in Kullu, 33 in Kangra, 30 in Hamirpur and one in Solan district have been disrupted.

Meanwhile, two persons sustained injuries and at least five houses in Shimla district were damaged as a result of landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in the district during the last 24 hours.

As per the district administration, two persons, namely Hemant and Pyare Lal, were injured after their houses were damaged by landslides in Thala village in Rampur Subdivision, Shimla. Both of them were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Three more houses in Sheel village, owned by Tulsi Das, Lekh Raj and Harish Kumar were damaged. The district administration team reached the spot and took stock of the situation.

Heavy rainfall is very likely to continue in isolated places during the next few hours as the state’s Meteorological Department has issued a yellow warning for Chamba, Kangra, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti district for Saturday.