Rains Wreak Havoc In Himachal Pradesh, 135 Roads Closed

Himachal Weather: Heavy rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh as 135 roads remained closed in the state following landslides and flash floods. Reports of damages due to heavy rains, landslides and flash floods have poured in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Sirmaur districts but no casualty was reported. The Lahaul and Spiti police have issued an advisory for residents and travellers to exercise extreme caution and not to cross Jahalman nallah where the water level is rising rapidly. The regional Met office has also issued an 'orange' alert, warning for heavy to very rainfall at isolated places in in five districts of Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning on Saturday and a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain throughout the state till August 16.

Heavy rains lashed parts of the state with Nahan in Sirmaur recording the highest rainfall of 168.3 mm since Friday evening, followed by 106.4 mm in Sandhole, 93.2 mm in Nagrota Surian, 67 mm in Dhaulakuan, 62.2 mm in Jubbarhatti and 45.6 mm in Kandaghat. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 135 roads including 42 in Sirmaur, 37 in Kullu, 29 in Mandi, 17 in Shimla, five in Kangra, four in Kinnaur, one in Lahaul and Spiti district are closed while 24 power and 56 water supply schemes have been disrupted due to the rains. The MeT department also warned of a low to moderate flash flood risk in isolated parts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Shimla districts till Sunday morning.The weather department has cautioned of the possibility of damage to plantations, crops, vulnerable structures and 'kutcha' houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Meanwhile, rescue operations to trace about 30 people who went missing after the flash floods triggered by cloudburst in Kullu, mandi and Shimla district on July 31 midnight continued on Saturday but there was no major success.So far, 28 bodies have been recovered in this tragedy, officials said. In view of an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rain in Hamirpur district on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Singh appealed to the residents to take precautions and avoid going near rivers and streams.

He also asked people to not take shelter under trees in bad weather and maintain a safe distance from power wires.More than 100 people have been killed in rain-related incidents and the state has suffered losses of about Rs 842 crores between June 27 and August 9, officials added. The rainfall deficit in the state during the monsoon that began on June 1 stood at 28 per cent till August 10 with Himachal Pradesh receiving 328.8 mm rain against an average of 455.5 mm.Kukumseri in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district was coldest at night recording a low of 13.2 degree Celsius while Una was hottest during the day recording a high of 33.7 degree Celsius.