Neighbouring Uttarakhand on high alert
Team News Riveting
Shimla, July 9
Heavy rain wreaked havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, inflicting heavy loss to the private and government property.
Three people died in Kotgarh village of Shimla district when their house collapsed on Sunday morning due to a landslide. The deceased include husband and wife and their child.
After heavy overnight rainfall, the authorities in Pandoh dam opened the gates of the dam to release extra water. As a result, the water level of the Beas river that started flowing furiously above the danger mark.
The Pandoh main market was inundated due to heavy rain. The worst affected districts include Mandi, Kullu, Shimnla and Lahaul and Spiti districts.
According to reports, several shops were washed away in flash flood at Bahang near Manali, while one under-construction house has been submerged in the flooded Beas river near Patlikuhal in Kullu district.
One woman was rescued from under the debris in Kullu. Six members of a family were rescued from the area by the Mandi district administration.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked to vehicular traffic due to major landslide at 6 mile between Mandi and Pandoh. As a result, traffic has become standstill on this highway.
As rains wreaked havoc across north India, Uttarakhand went on high alert while the Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday issued orders across the state asking administrative and disaster relief officials from top to bottom to make sure their phones are not switched off at any time of day or night.
Dhami said relief and rescue operations could be needed anywhere and at any time so all officials need to keep their modes of communication alive. The Chief Minister has urges the pilgrims thronging Uttarakhand to follow weather department advisories before making plans.
