Rain wrath wrecks Himachal, landslides claim 4 more lives

Heavy rainfall for the last three days has led to loss of lives and damage of both private and government properties across Himachal

Heavy rainfall for the last three days has led to damage of both private and government properties across Himachal. Rains also caused waterlogging in many regions of the state. A three-storey hotel building in old Manali allong with an ATM submerged in the gushing water of Beas river which continues to flow above the danger mark.

The Meteorological department had sounded a red alert for nine districts which include Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla. (Aqil Khan/HT)

While the train services on the heritge Shimla- Kalka rail line remained suspended for second consecutive day due to bars on the rail track at several places, uprooted trees blocked the track at few places. Railway officials said that trees have fallen on five places, while debris have blocked the track at two places, boulders damaged the track at two places while the track was blocked due to landslides

The road leading to Jibberhatti airport was also closed due to a landslide. The MeT had sounded a red alert for nine districts which include Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaor, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Solan .The revenue department held a meeting in Shimla to take stock of the losses. “Disaster management department has held meeting at all the district and directed the officers to remain on alert said DC Rana chairman State Disaster Manangement Authority. A bridge in Kullu connecting the right and the left bank was also washed away. In the wake of heavy rains, the government on Sunday closed both private and government education institutions for two days.

Meanwhile, death toll in Shrikhand Yatra reached four as 22- year old Rahul died at Parvati Baagh after slipping on a glacier.Amit Nanda, a resident of Gujarat, Amar Moyde, a resident of Mandhya Pradesh did due to breathlesness. Ranvir Singh, a resident of Nalagarh did after falling from the glacier. As many as 1,694 roads both main and lateral were closed for traffic. As many as 2,044 water supply schemes were affected and there were 160 flooding incidents reported during last 24 hours

Shimla town went without water for third day on Monday. A power house in Chaba close to Shimla was inundated in Satluj. Against the 42 mld supply Shimla town received only 11 mld of water.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Management department, police department, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and the Department of Telecommunication organised an an ‘Emergency Communication Mock Exercise’ on July 9. “The event took place at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) located in the HP-Secretariat, Shimla. The mock exercise provided an invaluable opportunity for the stakeholder departments to collaborate, brainstorm, and synchronise the utilization of resources. It served as a platform for joint planning and exploring possibilities for further cooperation with the various agencies involved. “ said Rana.