Rain havoc in Himachal Pradesh: 2 killed in landslides, flash floods reported after cloudbursts; 460+ roads blocked amid red alert

KULLU: Hundreds of roads are blocked, flash floods are being reported, and at least two people have died in a landslide in Chamba district as heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Monday amidst a red alert issued by the weather department.A landslide struck a house in Sutah village in the wee hours of Monday, burying Sunny and Pallavi in the debris.Over 460 roads are blocked throughout the state including the Chandigarh-Manali national highway near Pandoh in Mandi district and NH 305 near Banjar in Kullu district. Most rivers and rivulets are in spate even as Mandi and Chamba district administrations have decided to keep the schools closed in many areas of the districts.Flash floods, triggered by two cloudbursts, one each from Churah sub-division of Chamba and Anni sub-division of Kullu, are also being reported. There is a flood-like situation in many areas of Seraj in Mandi district which was hit by flash floods on July 1.

The flood gates of the Larji dam and Kol dam were also opened on Monday due to increase in the water level of the rivers and rivulets.The Meteorological Centre, Shimla, has issued a red alert for “extremely heavy rainfall” in Shimla, Sirmaur, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts and advised the people against travelling.