Landslides and house collapses have killed 11 people, as incessant rains over the last 24 hours caused much damage across the state, disrupting traffic, power supply, telecommunications and water supply in different parts.
A Zee News correspondent, Shobhana Singh, while on her war to the scenic Chander Tal Lake in Lahaul-Spiti was killed in a landslide. Fourteen year old boy, Sidhartha Sharma of Kitpal village near Nadaun in Hamirpur district was buried in a landslide and declared dead when rescued and taken to hospital. Three of a family, from Gadari village in Mandi district were reported killed after the house they were in, collapsed. Three people in Bilaspur district, two others in Mandi district and one in Kinnaur district are also reported to have died because of the heavy rain.
Two people are feared to be trapped in a landslide that buried three shops near the revered Jwalamukhi shrine in Kangra district. Fifteen people were reported to have been rescued from the buried shops and relief and rescue operations were going on.
Landslides have blocked many roads, which include the busy highway to Kullu-Manali, the highway to Kinnaur with reports of many bridges having collapsed or being washed away reaching the headquarters.
Two bridges, one near Jahoo Kaswa – linking the Hamirpur district with Mandi district and another near Dhamrol village were reported to have collapsed. Heavy rains coupled with sharp winds had also caused widespread damage to the kharif crops.
The Ambedkar Colony in Sundernagar was inundated by waters from the swollen Suketi stream and heavy damage to household goods and commercial establishments was reported. In Bilaspur district, a portion of the newly constructed Talwara – Bhapral Bridge collapsed.
The highway to Manali was blocked at Harbagh, 33 Km short of Mandi and tourists on both sides of the landslide were stranded.
The state capital by 3 p.m. had recorded 130 mm of rains that lowered temperatures with the days high recorded at 17 degrees and had a low of 15.2 degree Celsius. Several rural roads in the apple belt were blocked and marketing of fruit crops was badly effected.
