Shimla: An “orange alert” for the next 12 hours has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday across Himachal Pradesh. Speaking to news agency ANI, IMD Deputy Director of State, Bui Lal said the state will also see moderate to heavy rain during the next five days. “The next 5 days to see moderate to heavy rain. An orange alert has been issued for the next 12 hours for the whole state, yellow alert for the rest of the days till August 24,” Lal said.
As many as 22 people, including eight members of a family, were killed and six feared dead in incidents of landslide and flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh since Friday. Also, 12 people have been injured and six missing, state Disaster Management Department Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said on Saturday.
“21 dead, 12 injured, 6 missing in the last 24 hours as heavy rainfall continues to trigger flashflood situations, landslides and accidents in the state,” State Disaster Management Authority said.
Flash floods and other incidents were reported from 30 different locations in the state. There have also been reports that at least 15 houses and several transformers were damaged. Other than this, the Chakki railway bridge also collapsed. The Railway authorities had declared the bridge unsafe and the train service on the narrow-gauge track from Pathankot (Punjab) to Jogindernagar (Himachal Pradesh) has been suspended, they added.
So far, 225 people have lost their lives due to rain this year.
Meanwhile, on Friday a cloudburst and a landslide were reported in the Mandi area of the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in isolated places today in Himachal Pradesh in the districts of Kangra, Chamba, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts.
Locals and tourists have been advised to avoid going near the rivers and streams in bad weather. The Himachal Pradesh’s disaster management department has issued a warning for landslide due to heavy rains predicted in the state till August 25.
The HP Public Works Department (PWD) chief engineer said 743 roads, including the Manali-Chandigarh highway at Mandi and Shimla-Chandigarh highway at Shoghi, have been closed due to the unprecedented rainfall. As many as 407 roads will be restored today and 268 will be cleared by tomorrow, the engineer said.
The Police said the Chandigarh-Shimla national highway has been blocked for traffic after a landslide at Sonu Bangla between Shoghi and Tara Devi. Stones are still falling and traffic has been diverted via the Shoghi-Mehli bypass, they added.
Meanwhile, water and power supply have been hit in several parts of the state.
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