Snowfall in tribal distt, 3 washed away in HP

Shimla, Aug 15 (UNI) The higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh today received its first spell of snow this season as persistent rains continued to disrupt normal life in the rest of the state.

Meanwhile three persons were washed away in separete incidents in the Bharmour subdivision of district Chamba.

In the first incident, two persons fell into the Ravi river after being hit by boulders. Police identified them as Kasru Ram (27) and Ram Dayal Yadav (24), residents of Bihar who were working on the road for HCC Company.

In another incident, one person identified as Moolkhi Ram was washed away while trying to cross the flooded Uahi rivulet. All three dead bodies were not recovered.

Reports received here said that the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti received mild snowfall last night.

The road link to Helipad Annandale of Shimla was blocked after heavy overnight rains uprooted trees this morning. The local bus services to the Annandal area was also got affected.

Reports said that due to heavy overnight rains, 11 houses collapsed in Rambashir tehsil of district Solan causing loss of around Rs two lakh. Road link to Shimla from Rambashir was also disrupted due to a landslide near Degal.

However air services to Shimla resumed after two days as the weather cleared in the morning.

Report received from Solan said that NH-22 was closed yesterday evening following landslides in Barog and Kumarhatti-Solan bypass.

Efforts are onto remove the debris from the highway.

Reports from Mandi said that moderate to heavy rains continued lash the popular hill resort for the third successive day.The rain caused damage to rural link roads.

In Dharamshala, heavy rain paralysed normal life. The Dadasiba-Daliyara road was closed due to flash floods.

UNI ML HS BP1514