Over 12 dead amid heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, roads blocked; Houses collapse due to landslide | WATCH
Tragic circumstances have led to fears of casualties and people being trapped under the debris. The heart-wrenching event occurred in the Anni area of Kullu, which has been relentlessly battered by heavy rainfall in recent days.
FollowAmid unrelenting rainfall and new instances of landslides, the toll of lives lost rose by 13 across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As the rain continued to pour, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) took action by issuing red and orange alerts in both states.
Heavy downpours led to cloudbursts and landslides, resulting in 12 fatalities in Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, in Uttarakhand's Pauri district, another individual lost their life due to similar incidents on Wednesday. The deluge led to the blockage of over 400 roads and substantial damage to multiple houses, as reported by officials.
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In the rain-ravaged Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, a distressing scene unfolded as numerous houses crumbled like a deck of cards in the grip of landslides. This harrowing incident was captured on camera, though the full scope of the destruction caused by the abrupt collapse remains uncertain.
Tragic circumstances have led to fears of casualties and people being trapped under the debris. The heart-wrenching event occurred in the Anni area of Kullu, which has been relentlessly battered by heavy rainfall in recent days.
Himachal Pradesh rains: Red alert in 6 districts
Anticipating the relentless rain, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has raised the alarm by issuing a red alert for six districts, including Shimla, in Himachal Pradesh. The alert predicts "heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated spells of extremely heavy rains" over the next 24 hours. Furthermore, a moderate-to-high flash flood warning has been extended to nine districts encompassing Shimla, Sirmaur, Kangra, Chamba, Mandi, Hamirpur, Solan, Bilaspur, and Kullu.
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Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts are under the red alert warning. In addition, an orange warning has been issued for Thursday, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall. Taking the forecast into consideration, educational institutions in Shimla, Mandi, and Solan districts will remain closed for two days starting Wednesday.
Torrential rainfall in the Kullu district resulted in severe damage to the Kullu-Mandi road, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on Wednesday. Even the alternate route through Pandoh faced destruction, leading to ongoing debris clearance efforts.
Notably, National Highway 21 (Mandi-Kullu road) and NH 154 (Mandi-Pathankot) were among the affected roads, according to the state's emergency operation center data. The aftermath of three significant spells of heavy rains has forced the closure of 709 roads across the state, causing a trail of destruction and prompting evacuation measures due to cracks in many houses.
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Tragedy has struck the region this month with 120 rain-related deaths in Himachal Pradesh. Since the monsoon began on June 24, the state has seen a total of 238 deaths and 40 individuals reported missing.
In the event of an emergency, authorities have urged residents to reach out to the District Disaster Management Centre using the toll-free number 1077.
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