Rains lash parts of Himachal, key roads blocked in two districts

Moderate to heavy rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh overnight, triggering floods and blocking key roads in Chamba and Kullu districts, officials said on Monday.

The Chamba-Tissa road is blocked due to a flash flood at Pangola Nala in Churah subdivision of Chamba district, while traffic was disrupted at Pagal Nala on the Larji-Sainj road in Kullu district due to flooding.

Due to the continuous rise in reservoir level and the anticipation of heavy inflow, about 50 cumecs of additional water will be released into the Sainj River through the dam gates of Parbati power station-III, located in Kullu district, dam authorities said.

Officials said Jogindernagar in Mandi district was the wettest recording 97 mm of rainfall followed by Kangra 74.8 mm, Palampur 35.4 mm, Bharwain 34 mm, Sarahan 32.5 mm, Rohru 30 mm and Dharamshala 27.2 mm.

The weather office on Monday said isolated heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Kangra, Una and Sirmaur districts, while isolated heavy rain is likely over Chamba, Mandi and Shimla districts. It also issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rains in Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Solan on Tuesday.