Over 50 dead in Himachal rain fury; landslides in Uttarakhand, buildings damaged

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, Aug 14, 2023: Incessant rainfall battered the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, throwing normal life out of gear.

At least 50 people died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, as heavy rains continued to pound the state. In neighbouring Uttarakhand, torrential downpours triggered landslides, washing away bridges, forcing the closure of educational institutions and causing water levels of rivers to swell.

 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

In Himachal Pradesh, seven members of a family were killed after a cloudburst hit a village in Solan district, an official said. The incident occurred at Jadon village late on Sunday night.

Two houses and a cowshed were washed away and six people were rescued, Solan Divisional Commissioner (DC) Manmohan Sharma said.

The deceased people were identified as Harnam (38), Kamal Kishore (35), Hemlata (34), Rahul (14), Neha (12), Golu (8) and Raksha (12), Solan Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh said.

In Shimla, nine people were killed after a Shiva temple collapsed in Summerhill area amid heavy rainfall, the Chief Minister told India Today. According to the police, there were nearly 50 people who had come to worship at the temple.

A fire brigade team was present at the spot. The police and a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team were involved in rescue operations.

A conductor of a private bus suffered injuries after a tree got uprooted and fell on a vehicle in Shimla.

In Balera panchayat of Solan district, two children died as their makeshift house collapsed in a landslide. The body of one of them was recovered.

Another woman died in a landslide in Banal village of Ramsheher tehsil, said Solan DC Manmohan Sharma.

In Hamirpur, the Deputy Commissioner said that three people died while two were missing due to incessant rains in the district. He appealed to all the residents of the district to take special precautions in view of the bad weather and avoid going out unnecessarily.

Seven members of a family, including a two-year-old, were killed in a landslide late on Sunday night in Seghli panchayat of Mandi district. Three people were rescued, Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that all schools and colleges in the state would be shut till August 14 (Monday) due to the incessant rains.

A total of 621 roads, including a maximum of 236 in Mandi, 59 in Shimla and 40 in Bilaspur district were closed for vehicular traffic, according to the state emergency operation centre.

A key stretch of the Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh has been affected by recurring landslides over the past two weeks, officials said.

Incessant rains for the past 48 hours have caused havoc in all parts of the Hamirpur district, leading to a spate in river Beas and its tributaries. The worst affected are the areas where the nullahs of Maan and Kunah are located, officials said.

The rains and landslides have caused widespread damage to crops, fertile land and official and private buildings in all parts of Hamirpur. The district administration has warned people not to venture out and avoid going near the Beas river bank and nullahs.

Since the monsoon’s onset in Himachal Pradesh on June 24, the hill state has so far suffered losses to the tune of Rs 7,020 crore and 257 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents, the emergency operation centre said.

The weather office has issued a yellow warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in the state from August 14 to 17 and predicted a wet spell in the state till August 19.

UTTARAKHAND

In Uttarakhand, landslides triggered by incessant rains have blocked traffic on various roads, including national highways, affecting the movement of people, officials said.

Rishikesh-Chamba National Highway was blocked for traffic due to a landslide near Kunjapuri Bagardhar in Tehri while the movement of heavy vehicles was stopped on Rishikesh-Devprayag-Srinagar National Highways at Sakhnidhar.

The Ganga in Haridwar was flowing above the danger mark at 294.90 metres.

Continuous rainfall in Chamoli district since Sunday evening caused noticeable damage in the Tharali and Nanda Nagar Ghat areas. The water levels of the Pindar and Nandakini rivers in Chamoli have seen a sharp increase, putting the surrounding areas at risk.

Although no human casualties have been reported, extensive property damage has occurred. A motor bridge and a suspension bridge were washed away late at night.

The continuous downpour has also increased the water level of river Mandakini in the Nanda Nagar Ghat area. As a result, residents have been advised to vacate their homes for safer locations.

Heavy rainfall in Kotdwar led to a rise in water levels in river Ho and river Malan Sukhrou and the washing away of several houses located along their banks. Police forces and a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team have been deployed to evacuate individuals residing in high-risk areas to safety.

A red alert for heavy rains on Monday has been sounded in six districts of the state, including Dehradun and Nainital, by the meteorological department. The hill state has been reeling under incessant monsoon showers that have left 60 people dead and 17 missing while affecting normal life.

Intense to very heavy spells of rain with thunder and lightning at isolated places have been forecast for the two days in Tehri, Dehradun, Pauri, Champawat, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts where the red alert has been sounded, while Haridwar district is under orange alert, officials said.

The government has directed their district magistrates and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to remain alert to assist the people in case of any emergency.

Authorities in Dehradun and Champawat have ordered the closure of schools in the two districts on Monday.

Meanwhile, The Chardham Yatra was on Monday suspended for two days as torrential rains triggered landslides that breached the national highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines, officials said.