347 roads closed in Himachal due to rains

Shimla, Aug 21 (PTI) A total of 347 roads, including National Highway 305 (Aut to Sainj road), were closed in Himachal Pradesh due to the recent rains, officials said on Thursday.

Of the 347 roads, 164 were closed in the Mandi district and 124 in the adjoining Kullu, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) mentioned.

According to the SEOC, 281 power supply transformers and 145 water supply schemes have been disrupted.

Monsoon activity remained normal in the state in the past 24 hours, and moderate to heavy rains lashed parts of Himachal. The Local Met office has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rains in isolated parts of two to five districts from August 23 to 26.

Una received 132.6 mm of rain since Wednesday evening, followed by Nangal Dam 101.2 mm, Naina Devi 54.6 mm, Sujanpur Tira 53 mm, Olinda 44 mm, Amb 42 mm, and Nadaun 41.5 mm. Thunderstorms were witnessed in Kangra, Sundernagar, and Murari Devi while gusty winds with wind speed between 44-50 kmph lashed Reckong Peo and Neri, the MeT said.

Since the onset of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 20 to date, the state has incurred losses to the tune of Rs 2,282 crore due to rain-related incidents, officials said.

The state has witnessed 74 flash floods, 39 cloudbursts, and 74 major landslides so far, and around 149 people have died, and 38 are missing.

Himachal received 641.3 mm of average rainfall during the current monsoon season from June 1 to August 21 against an average of 550.4 mm, an excess of 17 per cent. PTI BPL MPL MPL