Himachal: Rains trigger landslides at several places; orange alert issued

Shimla, Jun 20 (PTI) Rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh triggering landslides at several places. The local Met office on Friday issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places on June 22, 23, 25 and 26.

Traffic on the Dharmshala-Chataro-Gaggal road was halted due to a landslide, and officials are currently engaged in road-clearing operations, officials said.

A stretch of Tauni-Hatkoti road in the Upper Shimla area was also damaged due to the landslide.

Reports also emerged of water logging at the Shahid Inder Singh Middle School in Pandoh, which caused inconvenience for students.

The Met Office issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rains in isolated parts of the state on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and a yellow warning for heavy rains in isolated areas on Tuesday.

Nahan received the highest rainfall in the state, measuring 84.7 mm, followed by Pandoh at 35 mm, Slapper at 26.3 mm, Sarahan at 20.5 mm, Poanta Sahib at 19.8 mm, Jogindernagar at 19 mm, Pachhad at 17.2 mm, Rampur at 15.6 mm, and Gohar at 15 mm.

Thunderstorms were witnessed in Sundernagar, Shimla and Kangra while gusty winds with wind speeds of 37 kmph lashed Bajaura.

The MeT centre has cautioned that heavy rains in the mid and lower hills can trigger landslides and mudslides in vulnerable areas, cause water logging in low-lying areas, and partial damage to vulnerable structures, besides skidding of vehicles due to slippery roads and low visibility.

Conditions are favourable for further advancement Southwest monsoon in parts of Himachal in the next two to three days, the forecast said. PTI BPL MPL MPL