Himachal: Rain triggers flashfloods in Kinnaur villages near China border
Houses damaged, fields inundated in Shalkar and Chango villages near China-occupied Tibet in cold desert that receives scanty rain
Unexpected rains triggered flashfloods, causing heavy damage to houses and farm land at Shalkar, a village in the cold desert near China-occupied Tibet in Kinnaur district on Monday evening.
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The flashflood damaged the road in the village besides crops in adjoining fields. It’s rare that a flashflood occurs in the cold desert region that receives scanty rain.
“Flashfloods in cold desert areas are rare. Fortunately, the flooding did not cause any damage to life,” said Kinnaur additional district magistrate SS Rathore said on Tuesday. “There are reports that a few houses were damaged and four vehicles are stuck in the debris. The damage to crops will be assessed,” he said.
The flashflood also damaged farm land, a footbridge and the cremation ground at Chango, another village on the China border. No loss of life was reported.
Rain triggered floods in Kinnaur’s Malling Nullah, damaging the strategic road connecting Reckong Peo to Kaza in Spiti valley.
The road is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation. Traffic is expected to be restored by Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a tremor measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale with its epicentre at Barjorhu in Mandi district was recorded on Tuesday morning. No loss to life or property was reported, director, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Sudesh Mokhta said.
