Heavy rainfall triggers landslide on Shimla-Chandigarh highway, 1 dead

The car got buried under the debris on the Mehli Shoghi road due to a landslide, while a cloudburst was reported in Geabong village of Kinnaur.

Heavy rainfall over the last 24 hours disrupted normal traffic in Himachal Pradesh and claimed the life of one person after landslides triggered by the downpour buried his vehicle on the Shimla Chandigarh highway as more than 80 roads, both lateral and main, were shut in the region.

The damaged vehicle after it was hit by a boulder on the highway. (Sourced image)

The car got buried under the debris on the Mehli Shoghi road due to a landslide, while a cloudburst was reported in Geabong village of Kinnaur. The mudslide damaged apple orchards, and several houses were partially damaged. Rain also disrupted the water supply in the area.

The deceased, identified as Dev Raj Singh, died when his vehicle was hit by a sliding rock on the highway. Three other occupants of the car sustained serious injuries and were shifted to the ESI Hospital in Parwanoo.

The Beas river in Kullu is in spate and people in five houses in its path have been evacuated.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una in Himachal Pradesh. The meteorological department has issued a yellow alert in the entire state till August 3.