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Himachal: NH-5 blocked, Kinnaur cut off due to massive landslide
Due to the landslide, as many as 220 roads are blocked in Shimla, 48 in Mandi and 45 in Sirmaur, say officials
Kinnaur district has been cut off from the rest of the state after stretches of National Highway-5 were blocked due to multiple landslides after heavy showers in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.
A stretch of the highway has sunk at Baroni Khad in the Rampur subdivision. The highway is also blocked at Manglad and Pashada due to rock falls and landslides. Blockade of the road has also snapped the link with Spiti valley, said DC Rana, director of state disaster management authority (SDMA).
PWD authorities have pressed men and machinery to restore the road. The alternative route Aut-Luhri has also been blocked, leaving trucks carrying essential supplies stranded.
Four houses vacated in Nathpa village after landslide
Kinnaur deputy commissioner Torul S Raveesh said four houses came under threat at Nathpa village due to a massive landslide on Thursday. The houses were vacated and debris was cleared from the highway, she said.
Rana said a total of 466 roads, including three national highways, are blocked for traffic across the state. A maximum of 220 roads are blocked in Shimla, 48 in Mandi and 45 in Sirmaur.
In Shimla district’s Rohru subdivision administration got three houses vacated in Kotsari village after cracks developed due to the landslide. Affected Laxman Thakur, Vimla Devi and Nikam Singh were shifted to their relative’s houses. SDM Sunny Sharma said immediate relief was being provided to the affected families.
Meanwhile, the situation continues to be grim in the low-lying areas of the Fatehpur assembly segment in Kangra after water release from Pong Dam inundated about 30 hectares of agricultural land in the downstream areas.
Fatehpur MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania said Mand Bhadpur, Haled and Bela Thakran in Riyali panchayat were the worst hit where more than 20 families were shifted to safer places.
The water level in the Pong Dam reservoir was recorded at 1,376.21 feet which is 16 feet below its maximum capacity. The inflow on Friday was 41,796 cusecs while the 48,914 water was being released through flood gates, which have been opened up to 7.5 feet and a spillway. Kangra deputy commissioner Nipun Jindal said an alert has been sounded in downstream areas.
Wet spell to continue till August 1: Met
The MeT department has forecast a wet spell to continue till August 1, though the monsoon is likely to weaken. A yellow alert for heavy rains and thunderstorms has been issued till July 31, said Surender Paul, director of IMD’s Shimla centre. He said moderate to heavy rainfall activity was witnessed in the state on Friday with Bhoranj being the wettest place recording 127mm rainfall followed by Kataula 118mm and Dharamshala 76mm.
Karsog got 71mm rainfall, Mandi 63mm, Rampur 49mm, Naina Devi 43mm, Sundernagar 39mm, Kangra 36mm, Kahu 30mm, Tinder and Jogindernagar 23mm and Wangtu, Sarahan and Manali 20mm each.
