New Delhi: A day after heavy rainfall triggered widespread landslides, road blockades, and building collapses, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a red alert for parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Mandi district, where the Beas River is in spate due to incessant rain.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 259 roads have been closed across the state, including 129 in Mandi and 92 in Sirmaur district. Also, 614 transformers and 130 water supply schemes have been disrupted. Since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, 23 people have died in rain-related incidents.
Building collapse in Shimla
A five-storey building collapsed in Bhatta Kuffar near Shimla on Monday morning. Authorities had evacuated the structure in advance, preventing casualties. Locals blamed nearby road construction for destabilising the building’s foundation. Two adjoining buildings are also at risk.
In Bilaspur, a government school was flooded, and more than 130 students were sent home. Similar damage was reported at a primary school in Shimla’s Junga area. In Rampur, cloudbursts washed away two cowsheds, livestock, a kitchen, and a room from a residence, though no human casualties were reported.
Landslides on Shimla-Chandigarh national highway
Landslides and shooting stones were reported at five locations along the Shimla-Chandigarh national highway, reducing traffic to a single lane. The Subathu-Waknaghat road in Solan and the Kainchimod stretch near Pandoh on the Chandigarh-Manali highway were also affected.
Deputy commissioner of Solan, Manmohan Sharma, has directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to deploy machinery round-the-clock to clear debris and monitor sensitive stretches. Traffic police have been stationed to manage movement and assist commuters.
Himachal received 135mm of rain in June, 34 per cent above the normal average of 101mm. It was the 21st highest June rainfall recorded in the state since 1901.
