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SHIMLA: Five people were killed in house collapse incidents as torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods across Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, blocking 1,337 roads, including four national highways, officials said.
The local meteorological office has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy rain in isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kinnaur districts on Wednesday and a yellow alert for heavy rain in Una and Bilaspur districts.
In Solan district’s Samloh village, a woman died after she was buried under the debris of her house that collapsed following heavy rain late on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Hemlata. Her husband, Heem Ram, four children, and her 85-year-old handicapped mother-in-law escaped with minor injuries.
In another incident, a man and a woman were rescued from the rubble after their house caved in following rain in Kullu’s Dhalpur. The woman later succumbed to her injuries, police said, adding that the details of the deceased were awaited.
Officials said that a landslide that occurred near Jangam Bagh BBMB colony in Sundernagar in Mandi district on Tuesday evening claimed three lives two women and a child.
The deceased have been identified as Bharti (28) and her 2.5-year-old daughter Kirtan. They were rescued and taken to hospital where they were declared dead. One of the bodies is yet to be identified, they said.
Two-three more people are feared trapped under the debris, the officials said.
The teams of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force and police are carrying out the rescue operations, Deputy Commissioner Mandi, Apporv Devgan, who was at the spot.
All government and private educational institutes, including coaching centres and nursing institutes, in Shimla, Kangra and Sirmaur districts have been ordered to remain shut on Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, in an order issued on Tuesday evening, said Shimla has been experiencing continuous rainfall for the last few days and there was a high possibility of landslides at several locations across the district, according to the latest Geological Survey of India forecast.
“Teachers and administrative staff are exempted from attending educational institutions, and online classes will be conducted,” the order said.
In view of an orange warning of heavy rains, educational institutions will remain shut in Kangra and Sirmaur districts, orders issued by the respective deputy commissioners of the two districts said.
About nine villages in Manali were cut off after floods in the Manalsu drain, which also obstructed the Manali-Leh route.
A landslide behind the Paddal gurdwara area in Mandi town damaged two houses on Monday night. However, no casualties were reported as the residents evacuated on time, the officials said.
The two affected families have been shifted to safer locations, while occupants of nearby houses facing similar risks have vacated their homes, they said.
An under-construction house was damaged following a landslide in the Anni area of Kullu district. No casualty was reported as the house had already been declared unsafe during the 2023 monsoon disaster and was vacant.
As many as 16 families have been asked to vacate their houses after cracks developed in Dadwal village in the Naina Devi area of Bilaspur district, according to the officials.
The document verification of shortlisted candidates for the post of constable in Himachal Pradesh Police has been postponed in view of the roads being blocked due to heavy rains.
The verification drive that was supposed to be held from September 4 to 9 will now take place from September 24 to 29, a statement issued here said.
Of the 1,337 blocked roads, 282 are in Mandi, 255 in Shimla, 239 in Chamba, 205 in Kullu and 140 in Sirmaur district, among others.
National Highway 3 (Mandi-Dharampur road), National Highway 305 (Aut-Sainj), National Highway 5 (Old Hindustan-Tibet road) and National Highway 707 (Hatkoti to Poanta) were also blocked, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.
The Shimla-Kalka National Highway 5, also known as the Hindustan-Tibet Road, and the Chandigarh-Manali Highway were also obstructed by landslides, causing major inconvenience to commuters.
The situation is much severe in the interior regions where link roads have remained blocked, preventing apple producers from transporting their produce to the markets.
On Monday, trains plying on the Shimla-Kalka track were cancelled following landslips. Services will remain suspended till September 5, the officials said.
Efforts are afoot to send about 5,000 Manimahesh pilgrims stuck in Chamba district back home. Sixteen pilgrims have died since the yatra started on August 15, they said.
Naina Devi has received 198.2 mm of rain since Monday evening, the highest in the state. Manali received 89 mm of rainfall, Rohru 80 mm, Mandi 78.2 mm, Dharamshala 76.3 mm, Kukumseri 74.2 mm, Chamba 72 mm, Bhuntar 69.7 mm, Jot 61.2 mm, Nahan 59.7 mm, Baggi 58.5 mm, Keylong and Una 57 mm each, Nadaun 53 mm and Olinda 50 mm.
At least 340 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents, while 41 are missing since the monsoon began, the SEOC data showed.
As many as 2,180 power transformers and 777 water supply schemes were disrupted across the state on Monday, the SEOC said.
Since the onset of monsoon in Himachal on June 20, the state has witnessed 95 flash floods, 45 cloudbursts and 121 major landslide incidents. The state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 3,523 crore this monsoon so far, according to official data.(Agencies)
