Cloudbursts, flash floods in Himachal; 325 roads closed; very heavy rain warning in 3 districts

Shimla: Several bridges were washed away in Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed in Himachal Pradesh following fresh incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods in the hill state.

A police post was swept away in fresh floods in Ganvi Ravine, while a bus stand and adjoining shops were damaged following heavy rain in Shimla district. Two bridges were washed away, cutting off Koot and Kyav panchayats in the district, officials said.

However, no casualty has been reported so far.

Two more bridges were washed away due to floods triggered by cloudbursts in Karpat, Changut and Udgos Nala of the Mayad valley of the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district.

Danger looms large over Karpat village and people have shifted to safe places.

Nearly ten bighas of agricultural land was completely damaged, and the district administration has been engaged in relief work, said Ranjit Lahauli, a resident.

Floods were also reported in the Kurpan Khad (Jaon) of Kullu district. The local administration has advised people to stay away from Kurpan Khad and the areas around Bagipul-Nirmand.

A total of 325 roads, including two national highways, have been closed in Himachal Pradesh amid rains.

The Aut-Sainj road, which is part of NH-305, and the road from Khab to Gramphoo (NH-505) were among the roads closed for vehicular traffic on Wednesday morning.

Of these, 179 roads were in Mandi district and 71 in the adjoining Kullu district, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

School students and office goers who travel by bus faced inconvenience and had to walk their way to respective destinations as a tree fell on the Circular (cart road) near Tolland on Wednesday early morning.

Buses affiliated with schools and other government institutions, along with private buses, were delayed until the tree was removed from the road. However, small vehicles continued functioning.

The local MeT office has issued an orange alert for likely heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the three districts of Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi on Thursday, and a yellow alert of heavy rain in isolated areas of four to six districts from Friday to Sunday.

Baldwara received 31 mm of rain, followed by Kasauli 23 mm, Naini Devi 18.2 mm, Sarahan 15 mm, Baggi 14.6 mm, Karsog 13.2 mm, Bajaura 10.5 mm and Jot 10 mm.

So far, since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, the state has incurred losses to the tune of Rs 2031 crore, officials said on Wednesday.

As many as 126 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state this monsoon season, while 36 are missing. The state has witnessed 63 flash flood incidents, 31 cloudbursts and 57 major landslides so far.