Shimla: This time in Himachal Pradesh, monsoon is not just raining but it is raining like a disaster. Due to continuous torrential rains, the mountains of the state are cracking, rivers and drains are in spate, while incidents of landslides and flash floods are proving fatal for the people at many places. Till now many people have lost their lives and government and private property worth crores of rupees has been damaged. The situation is such that the Meteorological Department has not yet given any sign of relief and has predicted continuous rain in the state till July 31.
Landslides and flash floods took many lives
This monsoon season, frequent landslides and sudden floods have taken away the happiness of many families. So far, many people have died in landslide incidents in the state, while one person has also lost his life in an incident of flash flood. Recently, in Lahaul-Spiti, huge rocks falling from the mountain buried a vehicle under debris in a few seconds, resulting in the tragic death of 13 people. Apart from this, incidents of mountain cracking and closure of roads are continuously being reported in many districts of the state.
Orange alert of heavy rain again from July 28
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather pattern in Himachal Pradesh may worsen further. There is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rain in many parts of the state between July 28 and 30, due to which an orange alert has been issued. A warning of heavy rain has been issued in Hamirpur, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur districts on July 28. There is also a possibility of heavy rainfall in Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur on 29th and 30th July. Yellow alert has been issued in other districts also.
Heavy rain in many districts including Shimla
On Saturday, good rainfall was recorded in many parts of the state including the capital Shimla. Due to heavy rains in Shimla city, many drains overflowed and at many places drain water started flowing on the roads.
134 roads closed due to landslides, people’s problems increased
Due to continuous rains, life is being badly affected across the state. 134 roads are closed due to landslides, many of which have been blocked for more than a week. Due to heavy landslide near Ropardu drain on Mandi-Dharampur National Highway-003, the highway remained closed for about 8 hours. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the road and passengers had to wait for hours. Later, with the help of machines, the debris was removed and traffic was restored.
Advice to stay away from rivers and streams
The Meteorological Department and the State Disaster Management Authority have advised people to take special caution. The administration has appealed to stay away from rivers, streams, ravines and landslide prone areas. Also, people have been asked to avoid unnecessary travel during bad weather and follow the advisory of the administration. Experts say that the soil of the mountains has become weak due to continuous rains, due to which the risk of landslides and flash floods may increase in the coming days.
No relief at the moment, clouds will rain throughout the week
According to the forecast of the Meteorological Department, rain will continue in Himachal Pradesh for the next one week. There is a possibility of intermittent rain in most areas of the state till July 31. In such a situation, people have been advised to remain alert and keep a constant eye on weather updates.