E-Paper
Heavy rain throws life out of gear in Himachal Pradesh, 115 roads closed
Cracks have developed at a stretch between Mandi and Pandoh on the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway and it has started sinking, forcing officials to allow only one-way traffic since Wednesday.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, leading to the closure of 115 roads for traffic.
The meteorological office in Shimla issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places till Friday.
As many as 115 roads, including 107 in Mandi, four in Chamba, three in Solan and one in Kangra district are closed for vehicular traffic following rains and 212 transformers were out of order in the state, according to the state emergency operation centre.
Cracks have developed at a stretch between Mandi and Pandoh on the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway and it has started sinking, forcing officials to allow only one-way traffic since Wednesday, officials said.
Local residents say a retaining wall constructed by spending lakhs of rupees has started sinking and gone down by about two feet and questions are being raised on the quality of construction. The tarring work is going on at the spot at a war-footing, says project manager Raj Shekar.
The MeT department issued a yellow alert of heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday (July 6 and 7) and cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption in traffic and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Several trees were uprooted in state capital Shimla that has received 84mm of rainfall since Wednesday evening and debris from drains was littered on the roads.
Widespread rain occurred in the state. Sundernagar was the wettest with 111mm of rain followed by Palampur that recorded 109.4mm, Gohar 80mm, Solan 79.8mm, Mashobra 78.5mm, Jogindernagar 75mm, Baijnath 70mm, Mandi 55.2mm, Narkanda 48mm and Kangra 44.2mm.
Narkanda in Shimla district was the coldest at night, recording a minimum temperature of 13.4 degrees Celsius, while Bhuntar in Kullu was the hottest during the day on Wednesday with a maximum temperature at 35.6 degrees Celsius.
