Rain fury continues across state, 3 highways, 352 other roads blocked

Traffic movement remained disrupted on 355 roads, including three National Highways (NH), as heavy rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the state.

As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, traffic movement on 202 roads, including NH 21, was disrupted in Mandi district alone. Additionally, 64 roads, including NH 305 in Kullu, 28 in Sirmaur, 27 in Kangra, nine in Chamba, eight in Shimla, seven in Una, six in Lahaul and Spiti, two — NH 5 in Kinnaur and one each in Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts — are disrupted for vehicular movement, causing inconveniences to commuters.

Also, as many as 1,067 distribution transformers, including 557 in Kullu, 385 in Mandi, 112 in Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Kinnaur, two in Chamba, 116 in water supply schemes, 44 in Mandi, 41 in Kangra, 14 in Hamirpur, nine in Kullu, four in Shimla, three in Lahaul and Spiti and one in Solan district also remain disrupted.

As a result of a heavy downpour, the Shimla-Karsog road near Tattapani also sank, thus partially disrupting the traffic movement on the stretch. As per the district administration, approximately 4.20 metre road in width was left while the rest of it got sunk in the Sutlej river.

Heavy rainfall is likely to continue across Himachal as the Meteorological Department issued a yellow weather warning for August 18, 21, 22 and 23, resulting in a few spells of very heavy to heavy rain in isolated parts of the state. Maximum temperatures could likely rise from 2°C to 3°C in the next three to four days, while minimum temperatures would likely remain the same.

The state witnessed very heavy to heavy rainfall in isolated places as well as light to moderate rain at most places during the last 24 hours.

Kataula in Mandi district received 120 mm rain, which was the highest in the state, while Kangra received 110.8 mm, Nahan 103 mm, Paonta Sahib 69.8 mm, Shaulakuan 67 mm, Bhuntar 63.3 mm, Palampur 60.4 mm, Narkanda 27 mm, Mandi 26 mm, Dharamshala 20.6 mm, Bilaspur 10.4 mm, Manali 8 mm, Kufri 4 mm and Shimla 1 mm precipitation.