Anurag Kumar
Thursday morning, in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh’s Sangla Valley, flash floods struck Kamru panchayat, damaging homes and washing away nine vehicles in addition to destroying orchards and fields. The torrential downpour also caused a blockade on the Shimla-Kinnaur (National Highway 5) between Rampur and Jhakri in the Shimla district near Broni Nullah.
The deputy commissioner of Kinnaur, Tarul Raveesh, stated that the flash flood caused the nullah to overflow, causing extensive damage to the adjacent fields and orchards. The magnitude of the loss is currently being evaluated.
572 houses destroyed due to rain
Another flash deluge struck the popular tourist destination of Narkanda in the Shimla district, Ryogh village.
Deputy commissioner Aditya Verma stated that while there were no fatalities, trees and pastures were damaged by the flooding.
Since July 9, the state has been dealing with persistent rainfall, resulting in the closure of 686 roads. According to him, the functionality of 1,138 transformers and 315 water distribution systems has been compromised.
572 homes have been completely devastated and 4,703 others have sustained partial damage in the state due to the monsoon. Included among the affected properties are 148 stores and 1,286 cowsheds.
Yellow warning issued
The meteorological office has issued a yellow warning until July 24, indicating the possibility of torrential rain in isolated areas. The office warned residents of the districts of Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, and Sirmaur about the possibility of sudden flooding.
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Narkanda received 87 millimetres of precipitation, while Shillaro in Shimla received 86 millimetres, Karsog 38.5 millimetres, Bharmour 38 millimetres, Sarahan 35 millimetres, and Jubbarhatti 34 millimetres.
The state government has dispatched rescue and relief teams whose primary objectives are clearing the blocked roads, rehabilitating the displaced, and assessing the damage to infrastructure and property.
