Mandi: A school and two houses were washed away in cloudburst in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh amid incessant rains in the hill state, officials said on Wednesday. It is learnt that the cloudburst took place in Kuklah area of Seraj in Mandi district. Local sources said that a school in Kuklah and two houses were washed away in the cloudburst.
Three persons were buried under the heavy debris washed away from the upper reaches. But they have been rescued from beneath the debris and are said to be safe. The cloudburst caused panic among the locals amid apprehensions of landslides and flood like situation in the low lying areas. The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert predicting heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh.
Also read: IMD predicts moderate to heavy rainfall in many places in Himachal Pradesh
The Chandigarh-Shimla highway has once again been closed after being blocked due to the debris from the higher reaches near Chakki Mod. Many houses have been damaged due to the cracks caused by landslides in Kangra district. The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday predicted moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms in many places in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
The IMD said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in a few places in the Districts of Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur, Mandi Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, and Kullu on Wednesday. Himachal Pradesh in currently under the grip of a weather vagaries amid incessant rains in the hill state. According to Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh, the state has incurred losses worth Rs 10,000 crore in damages to public and private property due to the rains.
Negi informed that at least 348 people have died in the rain related incidents while 38 people are still missing. More than 300 people have been injured in the rain related incidents, Negi said.
