Shimla:

A total of 117 roads were closed for vehicular traffic in Himachal Pradesh as rain continues to lash several parts of the state, officials said on Friday.

The meteorological office has warned of moderate flash flood risk in parts of Shimla and Sirmaur districts until Saturday.

Light rain continued in some parts of the state and Guler recorded the maximum rainfall at 64.2 mm since Thursday evening, followed by Palampur (46.4 mm), Dharamshala (41 mm), Slapper (27.1 mm), Chopal (21.4 mm), Sangla (20.8 mm), Kalpa (20.3 mm) and Naina Devi (18.4 mm).

A maximum of 81 roads are closed in Shimla, 21 in Mandi, 10 in Kangra, three in Kullu and one each in Bilaspur and Sirmaur district, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

The number of power and water supply schemes affected by the rain in the state stand at 34 and 11, respectively, the SEOC said.

Since the monsoon onset in Himachal Pradesh on June 27, the state’s rainfall deficit till date stands at 20 per cent, with the state receiving 545.2 mm rainfall against an average of 682.4 mm.

According to the officials, 165 people died in rain-related incidents during the ongoing monsoon season from June 27 till Thursday (September 12), while 30 are still missing. The state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,323 crore, they said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Shimla:

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh, leading to the closure of 115 roads for vehicular traffic.

The Shimla meteorological office today issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places till Friday.

As many as 115 roads including 107 in Mandi, four in Chamba, three in Solan and one in Kangra district are closed for vehicular traffic following rains and 212 transformers are disrupted in the state as per the state emergency operation centre.

Meanwhile, cracks have developed at a stretch between Mandi to Pandoh of the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane road and it has started sinking, forcing officials to allow only one-way traffic since Wednesday, officials said.

Locals say a retaining wall was constructed by spending lakhs of rupees but it has started sinking and has gone down by about two feet and questions are being raised on the quality of construction.

The tarring work is going at the spot at war footing, said Project manager Raj Shekar.

The MeT which also issued yellow warning of heavy rains on Saturday and Sunday (July 6 and 7) cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption in traffic and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Several trees were uprooted in state capital Shimla which has received 84 mm rain since Wednesday evening and debris from drains was littered on the roads.

Widespread rain occurred in the state. Sundernagar was the wettest with 111 mm of rain followed by Palampur 109.4 mm, Shimla 84 mm, Gohar 80 mm, Solan 79.8 mm, Mashobra 78.5 mm, Jogindernagar 75 mm, Baijnath 70 mm, Mandi 55.2 mm, Narkanda 48 mm and Kangra 44.2 mm.

Narkanda in Shimla district was coldest at night recording a minimum temperature of 13.4 degree Celsius while Bhuntar in Kullu was hottest during the day on Wednesday with a maximum temperature at 35.6 degree Celsius.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)