Rain, lightning derail normal life in Kangra

Raghav Guleria

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Dharamsala, March 4

After an unusually long dry spell witnessed in December and January, the heavy downpour in the first week of March has put normal life out of gear here.

The entire stretch of the ongoing four-lane work at Rait and Shahpur in Kangra district was severely hit by these rains. The construction company carrying out the work was probably not ready for such a heavy deluge. Due to the unprecedented rain, the entire stretch of road, which was newly levelled but unmetalled, quickly turned into a pool of water.

Vehicles could be spotted stuck in long traffic jams. Commuters — especially the two-wheeler riders — were greatly inconvenienced as it seemed next to impossible to drive in the thick muck and sludge.

Lightning and thunder also resulted in extensive loss to property in the Shahpur subdivision. Many houses were reported to have been damaged due to the uprooting of trees. In Rakkar Ka Bagh panchayat of Shahpur, two houses and a cowshed were reported to have been damaged due to lightning. The downburst was so severe that it tore apart trunks of trees, and even the walls of houses next to the ones affected. Asha Devi, whose house was damaged, said her electric appliances and curtains had been ruined due to the lightning.

In Smart City Dharamsala, the story was no different. Drains across town were seen overflowing and choked with garbage. The water from these drains flowed down lanes across Dharamsala, causing a great deal of harassment to passers-by. The worst affected in town was the drain at Harish Chander Marg near Kachehari.

In Jawali, hail and rain caused excessive damage to the fruit trees, which were in the blooming stage. Orchard growers were left disappointed as the heavy rainstorm destroyed the tender blossoms that had just appeared on mango, litchi, guava, peach and citrus trees.

Though rains are often good for agriculture, orchardists felt disappointed as the weather only seemed to add to their existing troubles — caused by the monkey menace.