Heavy rains flooded several areas in Dharamsala, Kangra, Sujanpur, Sundernagar and other places. National Highway 88 was blocked at two places, while over 100 link roads were blocked in Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Shimla and Kangra districts due to major landslides, police said.
Four persons including three members of a family were feared dead as flash floods triggered by a cloudburst wrecked havoc in Dharampur area of Mandi district, 250 km from here, this morning, inundating vast areas, washing away vehicles and blocking over 100 roads in the region. Three members of a family were feared to have been buried alive after their house collapsed due to a landslide while a sadhu was washed away in the gushing water of swollen Son Khud, a tributary of Beas river, police said.
About a dozen people waiting at Dharampur bus stand, had to rush to the first floor as Son Khud water entered the bus stand, inundating shops and houses, they said. Three buses, over four dozen houses and shops were washed away, while half a dozen light vehicles were swept away in the floods, police said.
Heavy rains flooded several areas in Dharamsala, Kangra, Sujanpur, Sundernagar and other places. National Highway 88 was blocked at two places, while over 100 link roads were blocked in Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Shimla and Kangra districts due to major landslides, police said.
All major rivers and their tributaries in the state are in spate and people living along the river banks have been asked to remain vigilant by the authorities and take necessary precautions. Local MLA Mohinder Singh and BJP leader P K Dhumal said that five persons have died in floods but the local administration confirmed only three persons were buried alive.
The local MeT office has warned of heavy rains at some places tomorrow along with rains and thunderstorms in lower, mid and higher hills of the state over the next six days. Sundernagar in Mandi district was the wettest in the region with 162 mm rains, while Sarkaghat and Dharamshala recorded 135 mm and 121 mm rains, according to MeT officials. Gaggal recorded 108 mm, Sujanpur Tira 98 mm , Bhoranj 95 mm, Jogindernagar 93 mm, Dehra Gopipur 85 mm, Mandi 84 mm , Shimla 71mm, Amb 57m, Nadaun 51 mm, Kheri 50 mm, Una and Sangrah 48 mm, Nahan 43 mm, Bijahi 37 mm and Baldwara, Jubbar Hatti and Jhandutta 35 mm, MeT officials said.
The maximum temperatures dropped by few notches and Una recorded a high of 27.0 degree Celsius, followed by Solan 26.4 degree Celsius, Sundernagar 25.5 degree Celsius, Dharamshala 24.8 degree Celsius, Bhunter 24.2 degree Celsius, Nahan 23.3 degree Celsius, Manali 22.8 degree Celsius, Kalpa 21.6 degree Celsius and Shimla 20.2 degree Celsius.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has directed all the Deputy Commissioners, Police, Home Guards and all departments concerned to be vigilant in the wake of heavy rainfall and incidents of recent landslides and flash floods in the state.
Terming the flash flood incident of Dharampur in Mandi district as unfortunate, he directed the district administration to carry out adequate measures in providing relief and rescue to the people of the area and to compensate the affected as per relief manual. He said that it was distressing that the public property in Dharampur suffered heavy loss due to floods in Son River following heavy rainfall. He directed the district administration to sound alarm for the people, warning them against venturing to go near the banks of swollen river beds, rivulets or Nullah.
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