Heavy Rain Triggers Flash Flood, Landslide In Himachal. Houses Damaged, Roads Blocked — Top Points

Heavy rainfall has caused havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh causing a flash flood in Bagi, Mandi which extensive damage in several parts of the district.

Damaged vehicles after they got swept away in floodwater following heavy rainfall, in Kullu, Sunday, June 25, 2023.

Source : PTI

Heavy rainfall has caused havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh. A flash flood was triggered by incessant heavy rainfall in Bagi, Mandi in the state. Significantly, incessant rains, have caused extensive damage in several parts of Mandi. A heavy traffic jam was caused by a landslide on the Chandigarh-Manali highway near 7 Mile. In Mohal, Kullu several vehicles were damaged and washed away last night, as reported by the news agency ANI. The Mandi-Kullu National highway was blocked after incessant rain, the Mandi district police said in a public notice on Sunday.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh | Flash flood witnessed in Bagi, Mandi following incessant heavy rainfall here. pic.twitter.com/EvWKyQefgG

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2023

Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Disaster Management, Himachal Pradesh has said that due to heavy rain at several locations in the state, six people have died till now, and around 10 people are injured. 

Here Are Top Updates:

• Sharma said that at least 303 animals have died and the loss due to rain is expected to be Rs 3 crore. However, the complete report is still awaited.  He also said that 124 roads have been damaged which includes two national highways.
• According to the official statement, the highway will likely be opened today. People stuck on either side are advised to turn back and make necessary arrangements to stay for the night in nearby towns, as reported by ANI.
• The Indian Meteorological Department, on Sunday, issued a weather warning for Himachal Pradesh for the next five days. "Heavy rainfall, thunderstorm & lightning are likely at isolated places over plains, and low and mid hills on June 25 & 26. Flash floods are likely to occur in the districts of Kangra, Mandi and Solan; Traffic congestion, poor visibility, and disruption in electric supply", said the weather department, as quoted by ANI.
• The IMD advised farmers to make adequate arrangements to avoid the consequences of rain and said that damage may occur to standing crops, fruit plants, and young seedlings. The water level in the Beas River flowing through Mandi has increased due to continuous rains in the hilly areas. In the last 24 hours, Mandi received 64.4 mm of rainfall.
• Other parts of the state also witnessed massive damage due to the rains. The capital, Shimla reported a cloudburst amid the intensive rain.
• Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Solan and Hamirpur districts and heavy rain in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu on Sunday killed two people, damaged crops, homes, and vehicles, and washed away livestock.
• According to the State Emergency Operation Centre on Sunday, one person drowned in Hamirpur and Shimla districts each. The rain also damaged 11 houses and vehicles each as well as four cowsheds.
• The state suffered estimated losses of Rs 78 lakh in the past 24 hours, it said. Three houses were damaged in Lahaul and Spiti, five in Hamirpur, two in Solan, and one in Mandi. Eight vehicles were damaged in Kullu, two in Lahaul and Spiti, and one in Sirmaur.
• The traffic was blocked on 126 roads due to uprooted trees, including two national highways. Power supply was also disrupted as 141 transformers suffered damage, emergency centre officials said, as reported by PTI.
• Following the cloudburst, water gushed into four homes and also damaged the panchayat building in the Kheri area of the Sujanpur subdivision of Hamirpur district. According to PTI, six people are trapped by the waters of the Beas near the Khanuali village, and machinery worth lakhs of the Dhaulasidh Power Project have been washed away due to the heavy flow of water in the river. This area is located on the river's left bank.