Diary Times News Service
Shimla, August 14: The ongoing monsoon in Himachal Pradesh has raised concerns, with the weather department issuing flood warnings for five districts: Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Shimla. A yellow alert has been issued for heavy rains in the plains and mid-hill areas of the state, which is expected to continue till August 19.
Most parts of the state, including the capital Shimla, remained cloudy on Tuesday, with rains lashing some areas overnight. The forecast indicates that the monsoon will remain active across the state, leading to continuous rains over the next few days. The administration has urged residents to exercise caution and stay away from rivers, streams and landslide-prone areas, especially in districts facing flood threat.
The impact of the monsoon is already severe. Two days ago, floods in Una and Sirmaur districts had caused extensive damage. According to the State Disaster Management Authority, two national highways and 213 roads have been blocked across the state due to landslides. Additionally, 218 power transformers and 143 drinking water projects are currently closed. The worst affected areas include Shimla, where 89 roads are closed, followed by Sirmaur (42 roads), Mandi (37 roads), Kullu (26 roads), Kinnaur (4 roads) and Kangra (6 roads). Authorities are working to restore access and services as soon as possible.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, a cloudburst occurred in Thikru and Lingne hills in Kinnaur district at 4 pm on Tuesday, leading to widespread panic. Eyewitnesses reported that lightning struck the dark clouds, causing a sudden deluge of water from the hills towards the Sutlej river. The flood, which lasted for about an hour, swept away many trees, boulders and caused considerable land erosion.
A large portion of the Thikru connecting road was damaged due to the flood, cutting off access to the area and restricting movement of local residents. The flood also damaged irrigation kuhals and water sources managed by the Jal Shakti Department, which are vital for the local villagers. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far from the incident. Residents said that had the flooding occurred in a more populated area, the damage could have been much more.
As the floodwaters began to recede, residents heaved a sigh of relief. Many people had gathered to see the aftermath of the cloudburst, which has become increasingly common in Kinnaur district despite lack of rain in the higher altitudes. Similar incidents have been reported in several panchayat areas, including Ropa, Hango, Charang, Khab, Sangla, Raksham and Rupi, recently. The Kinnaur administration has urged people to stay away from rivers, streams and higher altitudes unless necessary.
Traffic on National Highway-5 was also disrupted for nearly two hours on Tuesday due to a massive landslide at Nigulsari. According to junior engineer Satish Joshi, the highway near Nigulsari has been prone to landslides for some time now and the fresh landslide has further disrupted traffic in the area.
The financial losses have been enormous in the 47-day-long monsoon season. The total loss is estimated to reach ₹1,000 crore. The Public Works Department has reported a loss of ₹436 crore, the Jal Shakti Department ₹403 crore and the Horticulture Department ₹139 crore. Sadly, 194 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents during this period.
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