Heavy rains trigger landslides, block roads in Himachal

Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh in the past 24 hours triggered landslides and uprooted trees, damaging houses and vehicles and blocking 150 roads. A total of 452 roads, including a maximum of 236 in Mandi, 59 in Shimla, and 40 in Bilaspur district, are now closed for vehicular traffic, according to the state emergency operation centre.
Three vehicles parked on the roadside were damaged following a landslide at Dudhli, in the suburbs of Shimla city. A landslide also occurred near St. Edwards School, while uprooted trees blocked the road for some time near the 103 Tunnel in the heart of the state capital. The supply of essential commodities such as milk, newspapers, and edibles here and in upper Shimla areas has been erratic over the past few days.
Three houses, cow sheds, and vehicles were damaged near Dagsech in the Namhol area of Bilaspur district following a landslide on the Shimla-Mataur road. The administration has vacated nine houses after the land in the area started sinking, officials said. A large number of heavy vehicles got stranded on both sides of the road at Chakki Mor, near Koti, on the Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh due to continuous landslides on the road stretch. The small vehicles are being diverted through alternate routes. This road stretch got blocked on August 2 due to a major landslide in which 50 metres of the road caved in. The road was reopened on August 8, but continued slides are making commutes difficult.
Reports of damage to houses and agricultural land are also pouring in from several places in the Mandi district, including Chatru Panchayat in the Balh area and Lot and Dhishit panchayats in the Gohar area. Incessant rains for the last 48 hours have caused havoc in all parts of the Hamirpur district, leading to a spate in the Beas river 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 the people not to venture out and to avoid going near the Beas riverbank and nullahs.
Since the monsoon’s onset in Himachal Pradesh on June 24 until August 12, the hill state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 6,807 crore, and 255 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents. The local MeT office has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall on Sunday and a yellow warning of heavy rains on Monday.