Panic grips Himachal’s Mandi after water level rises sharply

Panic gripped scores of people residing along the Beas river, which was in spate due to intensified rainfall

Panic gripped scores of people residing along the Beas river, which was in spate due to intensified rainfall. Water entered houses of the residents who were stuck in their water-logged houses. Two buildings were swept in Manali.

Mandi town alone reordered 118.8 millimetres of rainfall during the last 24 hours> (Birbal Sharma/HT)

Mandi town alone reordered 118.8 millimetres of rainfall during the last 24 hours. As many as 24 shanties owned by the Bhangals and most rag pickers were facing grave threats from the rising waters of Beas river. “We have carried evacuation of the families on Bhanglas since the majority of them did not have relatives, they have now been lodged in guru wards and ashrams. Galiyaar areas of Mandi town has a huge population of Bhangal community,” said SSP Mandi, Saumya Sambavshivan. “ Some of the persons very reluctant to leave but we are convincing them to move to safer places,” said she, adding that police also evacuated as many as seven member of the family after the water level began to rise in Suketi Khadh. As many as six people were rescued at Nagwain with the help of NDRF persons. Chief parliamentary secretary Sunder Thakur was present at the rescue operation. The water from Pandoh dam had overflowed on the highway connecting Mandi town to Manali. The BBMB had opened the floodgates of the Pandoh dam.