Shimla/Dharamsala: Fifteen Army quarters were razed to ground and over a dozen houses, mostly of ex-servicemen, were badly damaged as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit Kajlot Panchayat, 5 km from here in the wee hours on Wednesday.
The gushing rain water swept the quarters and the land in surrounding areas sunk by 200 feet while over a dozen private houses, mostly of Gorkha ex-servicemen, were badly damaged.
However, there was no loss of life but at least 20 families were rendered homeless and provided temporary shelter in the Army complex.
Meanwhile, several areas of the state were lashed by heavy rains and Dharamsala, which was wettest in the region with 111 mm rains, received more than 400 mm rains during the past four days.
Nahan received 82 mm rain while Kheri and Baijnath had 78 mm and 75 mm rains, followed by Bangana 73 mm, Nagrota Suriyan 67 mm, Palampur 63 mm, Paonta Sahib 62 mm, Renuka 52 mm,Nadaun
47 mm, Sundernagar 46 mm, Jubbarhatti 43 mm ,Saloni 42 mm, Jogindernagar and Guler 38 mm each, Gohar 31 mm, Shimla 30.2 mm and Ghamroor 27 mm respectively.
Most the rivers and their tributaries are in spate in lower areas of the state and the water level of Pong Dam increase to 1,375 ft last night, forcing the project authorities to open the gates.
The local MeT office forecast heavy to heavy rains at few places during next 24 hours and rains and thunderstorms at many places in the state during next five days.
More than 24 people have already lost their lives and property and crops worth Rs 1,200 crore had been damaged in excessive rains in the hilly state during the month of June.
PTI
