SOLAN, June 29 : After Uttrakhand, heavy rains lashed most places of Himachal Pradesh since overnight, triggering landslides, blocking roads, halting rail, land and air traffic, and disrupting power generation across the state.
The State faces a severe monsoon crisis with rising water levels in rivers and riveluts multiple infrastructure failures, and growing risk to human settlements.
In Mandi district, authorities opened five floodgates of the Pandoh Dam after water levels crossed danger mark. The swollen Beas river is flowing close to danger levels, prompting loudspeaker warnings in Mandi town and surrounding areas like Sandhol, Sujanpur, Nadaun and Dehra.
This surge would eventually reach Pong Dam and flow downstream to Talwara in Punjab. Juni Khad in Mandi, which merges into the Beas, also swelled suddenly, adding to concerns.
On the Pinjore-Shimla National Highway-5, traffic came to a standstill near Chakki Mor due to a landslide at 6 am. Though the debris was cleared and traffic resumed by 8 am, long queues caused hours of disruption.
Meanwhile, the Kalka-Shimla rail line also suffered a landslide near Koti, forcing Northern Railway to suspend train operations.
In Shimla, uprooted trees and landslides were reported in several localities. A tree collapsed on two vehicles near Panthaghati-Junga road, causing major damage.
A landslide blocked the Bhattakufar-Chamyana Atal Super Specialities Institute Hospital road, affecting patient movement. In Khalini and Mahli, collapsed dams have endangered residential and government buildings.
Power generation has also taken a hit. Nearly 1,500 MW worth of hydropower projects have suspended operations due to increasing turbidity and partial damage to water diversion systems caused by silt and debris.
According to IMD, flash flood warnings remain in place for 10 districts.
Rainfall data shows Jogindernagar received 135 mm, Kasauli-125 mm, Paonta Sahib-116.8 mm, Kahu in Hamirpur-120 mm, Bijahi-102 mm, Sundernagar-96 mm, Ghaghas-92 mm, Shimla-91 mm, Kufri-89 mm, Bilaspur-86.6 mm, Solan-85.6 mm, Dharampur-84.2 mm, Sujanpur Tira-79.8 mm, Pandoh-68 mm, Nagrota Suriyan-65.2 mm, Chopal-60.8 mm, Gohar & Murari Devi-60 mm, Kangra-53.8 mm, Jatton Barrage-51 mm in last 24 hours.
Authorities have urged people to stay away from rivers and landslide-prone zones, as the state remains on high alert.
The South-west Monsoon has been lashing the State since last eight days and it has claimed as many as 34 lives and rendered loss of around Rs 71 crore to the hill state.
(UNI)
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