Kinnaur Cloudburst Update: A cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district on Wednesday led to heavy rainfall and a flood-like situation, prompting authorities to suspend the ongoing Kinner Kailash Yatra. The incident comes a day after a cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarashi district led to widespread destruction, killing at least four and leaving several others missing.
The authorities quickly arrived at the spot and started the relief and rescue work. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team from the 17th Battalion has rescued 413 pilgrims using the rope-based traverse crossing technique, following a flash flood in the Tangling area along the Kinner Kailash Yatra route,” news agency ANI reported.
Amid heavy downpour and a flood-like situation, the National Highway 35 near Nigulsari in Kinnaur has been shut for traffic movement. Meanwhile, the Chandigarh-Shimla Highway and several other key roads have been shut due to a landslide at Chakki Mor in Shimla. Schools in Mandi, Solan and Kullu remain closed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.
A similar cloudburst has wreaked havoc in neighbouring Uttarakhand. A cloudburst triggered by heavy rain led to a flash flood in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of four people and leaving several missing. Rescue operations are underway. The Badrinath National Highway has been blocked following a landslide in Karnaprayag. Rail services along the Dehradun-Haridwar also remain suspended after a large rock fell on the tracks.
Himachal Weather Forecast
Himachal Pradesh has been badly hit by heavy rain since the onset of monsoon on June 20. The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for multiple districts of Himachal, including Una, Mandi, Chamba, Kangra and Sirmaur. Moderate to light rain is expected with chances of one or two spells of heavy showers at isolated spots.