Heavy rains disrupt normal life in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: Heavy rains have disrupted road communication, hit power generation and triggered treats of flash floods in parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Vehicular traffic on national highways 21 and 22 remained disrupted till afternoon. Electricity generation in state-run hydropower projects was affected due to rains and silt in the rivers, officials said.

The 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri and 412 MW Rampur hydropower projects were shut down due to heavy silting. Attempts were being made to operate three units of 250 MW each.

The silt level was still high and more rains could hamper power generation, officials said.

Major rivers - Ravi, Beas and Sutlej and their tributaries were in spate and district administrations have advised people not go near river banks in the view of possible flash floods in lower hills.

In Chamba and Kullu, flash floods washed away the link road and footpath along Garol rivulet, causing inconvenience to people, especially to school going children.

Raila village in Kullu district was evacuated after very heavy downpour in the catchment area caused flash floods and damaged some houses, officials said.

Two houses were destroyed and as many water mills were washed away in Shapnali and Sajha villages of Kota and Kalvari gram panchayats respectively in Banzar sub-division of Kullu district.

Kullu district administration has sounded a high alert in the view of surging water level in Parvati and Beas rivers.

At least 6 state-run buses were stranded in Chopal area of Shimla district as landslides triggered by rains blocked roads in interior areas.

Heavy downpour hit normal life in Dharamsala which received 200 mm rains while Sujanpur Tihra, Palampur, Kheri and Una recorded 150 mm, 115 mm, 106 mm and 101 mm rains followed by?Dalhousie and Gohar 95 mm each, Gaggal 73 mm, Paonta Sahib 70 mm, Rampur 66 mm, Ghamroor 60 mm, Bajaura 58 mm, Bangana and Sarahan 57 mm, Sundernagar and Bhuntar 54 mm Hamirpur 52 mm, Kasauli 51 mm, Banjar 50 mm, Mandi 46 mm, Manali 40 mm, Jogindernagar and Jubbal 41 mm.

The local MeT office predicted rains at most places in the state over next one week and heavy rains at isolated places on July 11 and 14.