New Delhi: Amid heavy rainfall in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, water from overflowing Beas river has entered the Pandoh village in Mandi district, washing away a bridge connecting Aut village to Banjar, reported ANI.
For the past few days, the northern state has been receiving severe rainfall forcing the river Beas to flow furiously. The weather department has issued a red alert in Himachal Pradesh for the next two days.
The Mandi-Kullu National Highway has been closed due to landslides and rock slides from mountains near Shani Mandir Aut, Mandi Police said. "Mandi-Kullu road via Kataul closed due to landslides. Pandoh-Gohar-Chalchowk-Baggy-Sundernagar road open but heavy-vehicular movement restricted," news agency ANI reported citing Mandi Police.
A team of SDRF safely evacuated six people who were trapped in their homes due to the rise in the water level of the Beas River in the lower market of Pandoh, reported ANI.
According to ANI, train movement on the Shimla-Kalka heritage rail track has been cancelled for Sunday due to ongoing heavy rains and subsequent slides and waterlogging, said HP Traffic, Tourist and Railways Police. The railway track between Koti and Sanwara railway stations at Tunnel No. 10 has also been closed due to heavy rainfall on the Kalka-Shimla railway route, ANI reported. IMD has forecast rain in the state until July 13.
The continuous downpour has torn apart the normal life of residents and has induced flash floods and landslides in several regions killing five people, reported PTI citing officials.
As per the agency, three members of a family were killed in a house collapse following a landslide due to rains in the Kotgarh area of Shimla district. On the other hand, a landslide also damaged a makeshift house near Kullu town, leaving a woman dead. In another incident, a person was buried alive following a landslide in Katiyan tehsil of Chamba on Saturday night, PTI reported.
Beas River is in spate in Mandi and Kullu halting the traffic. Vehicular movement is also restricted on National Highway 3 from Mandi towards Kullu due to landslides. A car swept away in the Beas River near Kullu as the water level increased in the river following heavy rains.
Meanwhile, security teams are carrying out rescue operations in different areas to save people who are stuck due to persistent rainfall and flash floods in the state. Kullu Police said that due to heavy rains, the movement of vehicles from Kullu and Manali towards Atal Tunnel and Rohtang has been completely stopped due to falling of stones at many places on the Kullu-Manali road and due to the increase in water level in Beas River near Ramshila, reported ANI.