In Parting Shot, Monsoon Shows it’s Might in HP

Retreating monsoons in North India saw several places in Himachal Pradesh lashed with  moderate to heavy rains in the past 24 hours, leaving more than 300 roads, including seven National Highways (NH), closed.

According to reports, Kullu-Manali-Rohtang-Leh, Hindustan-Tibet Marg, Shimla-Rohru, Nahan-Shimla, Chandigarh-Manali NH near Swarghat, and Chamba-Pathankot NH in three places and Pathankot-Mandi NH have been blocked due to landslides causing massive traffic jams. Apart from this, nearly 300 small roads have been closed in the state. Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus service in Chamba district has also been stalled.

Nineteen persons, including two women, were reportedly stranded at Dobhi Bihal in Kullu district on Sunday after the water level in the Beas river rose abnormally owing to incessant rains, touching the Chandigarh-Manali NH 21. The people trapped in the river were airlifted to Bhuntar by an Indian Air Force chopper.

The gushing Beas waters reportedly entered a truck union office at Bashing, 4 km from Kullu, washing away two vehicles. The newly built helipad at Bahang near Manali has been damaged too.

With various rivers and rivulets in several districts in spate, the administration has issued an alert. All educational institutions in 9 out of the 12 districts in the state will remain closed on September 24. Flights from the Bhuntar airport have been cancelled.

The authorities have issued an alert and have warned residents to not venture near the river and rivulets. Water was released from the Larji and Pandoh dams, which increased the water level of the Beas at Aut. The district administration has urged people not to go towards the Beas for the next two to three days, which has been flowing above the danger mark.

In Shimla district, the Theog-Hatkoti road is blocked at Poltidhar, Barvi in Jubbal valley while landslips and trees have fallen on the road bringing all movement of vehicles to a standstill since Sunday night. Shimla reportedly recorded 47.1 mm rain. Weathermen have predicted heavy rain and snow in the upper hills till September 24.

Meanwhile, Manali in Kullu district received the highest rainfall with 127.4 mm, followed by Dharamsala (125.2 mm), Una (124.2 mm), Gagret (118 mm), Jogindernagar (115 mm), Sujanpur (112 mm), Bharwain (110 mm), Nadaun (104 mm), Baijnath (97 mm) and Kangra (97.5 mm).

Chamba Deputy Commissioner Harikesh Meena held an emergency meeting with district officials and directed functionaries of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to remain prepared to tackle any emergency situation in the wake of heavy downpour. He said that a woman, identified as Guddi (47), a resident of Talara village in Bhattiyat subdivision died after falling off a cliff while working in her farm. Four houses were completely damaged at different villages.

The Deputy Commissioner has issued orders prohibiting the movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the Baloo bridge, which links Chamba-Tissa, Salooni and Pangi subdivisions of the district.

He said that the loss to public and private property during the monsoons this year has so far been pegged at Rs. 112 crore in the district.

Pangi valley has been cut off from the rest of the Chamba district due to blockage of the Chamba-Killar highway following the season’s early heavy snowfall at the Saach Pass (4,420 metre). The Pass has been experiencing snow since last night, according to official reports.

Meanwhile, Rohtang Pass witnessed about 4 feet of fresh snowfall on Sunday rendering at least 20 people stranded who were rescued on Sunday, a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official said.

Manmohan Singh, Director of the Indian Meteorological Department has said, “The state will continue receiving heavy to moderate rainfall over the next two days.”

The upper hills in the state, including the tribal Lahaul-Spiti district, have also received snowfall which has brought down the temperature of the state.