Rain wreaks havoc in Lahaul, Kullu, Kangra

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 28

Nine deaths have been reported in rain-related incidents in various parts of the state in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll in the current monsoon season since June 13 to 202 while 11 persons are missing. Seven casualties have taken place in Lahaul and Spiti, while two persons have lost their lives in Chamba district.

Rain wreaked havoc in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Kullu and damaged property in Kangra, Shimla and Solan districts. As many as 387 roads were blocked in the state due to heavy rain and landslides.

The maximum roads were blocked in Kullu (70), followed by Sirmaur (69), Shimla (59), Lahaul-Spiti (55), Chamba (47), Mandi (38) and Solan (34). About 240 transformers were damaged and 175 water schemes were disrupted.

Dodra-Kwar in Shimla district was cut off from the rest of the state. A bridge near Gumma, in the Chirgaon area of Rohru was washed away. A vehicle was also washed away in a nullah by the gushing waters and mud on the Chhaila–Mahuri road in Theog while three other vehicles were damaged. A vehicle was buried under debris following a landslide near the Tenzin hospital on the Vikasnagar-Panthaghatti road in Shimla town. A landslide occurred near Dhnot on the Sainj-Deha road.

The MeT office has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain, lightning and thunderstorm in 10 districts, barring Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti, on July 29 and 30 and an orange warning of a thunderstorm, lightning and heavy rain in 10 districts on July 31 and August 1. Awet spell is likely till August 3.

Moderate to heavy rains lashed several parts of Himachal. Dharamsala received 122 mm of rain, followed by Una 119 mm, Kasauli 115 mm, Nalagarh 106 mm, Shimla, Jatton Barrage and Jogindernagar 93 mm each, Kangra 91 mm, Renuka and Jubbarhatti 90 mm each, Gohar 89 mm, Kufri 82 mm, Amb 79 mm, Kandaghat 74 mm, Paonta Sahib 70 mm, Gaggal 67 mm, Mandi 65 mm, Nahan 61 mm, Nurpur 60 mm, Dharampur 55 mm, Solan and Hamirpur 54 mm, Tinder 52 mm, Palampur 51 mm, Naina Devi and Banjar 49 mm each, Baldwara 47 mm, Rohru 43 mm, and Sangrah 40 mm. The minimum and maximum temperatures dipped by 1 to 3 degrees.

Orange warning for today in 10 districts

• Maximum roads were blocked in Kullu (70), Sirmaur (69), Shimla (59), Lahaul and Spiti (55), Chamba (47), Mandi (38) and Solan (34)
• Dodra-Kwar in Shimla was cut off from the rest of the state
• A bridge near Gumma, in the Chirgaon area of Rohru was washed away
• The local MeT office has issued orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain, lightning and thunderstorm in 10 districts, barring Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, on July 29 and 30