HP rains: 6 rescued from flash floods, Rohtang-Manali road blocked, schools shut

Shimla, Aug 17: Vehicular traffic on the Rohtang-Manali road has been blocked following heavy rain on Saturday, the police said. The road was blocked after the water level in a nullah near Koksar police post in Kullu district rose instantly, Kullu Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh said. All educational institutions in Kangra district have been asked to remain closed on Saturday due to incessant rainfall, an official said.

Several vehicles are stranded due to the road block but no loss of life or property has been reported, he added.

Six persons stranded near Palampur following flash floods were rescued while several roads in Kangra and Chamba districts were blocked following landslides, the official added.

Kangra deputy commissioner cum district magistrate Rakesh Kumar Prajapati issued the direction on Saturday morning following heavy rain in most parts of the district since Friday evening. "Keeping in view the ongoing heavy rains and extreme climatic conditions across the district, I hereby declare holiday for schools and educational institutions for today (Saturday)," Prajapati said.

On Friday, the meteorological department had issued an 'orange warning' for heavy rain across the state and a 'red warning' for extremely heavy rain in several districts including Kangra on Saturday and Sunday The rescued persons will reach Palampur via Vindhyavasini Temple soon, the official said.

Heavy downpour occurred in and around Palampur sub division since Friday midnight which triggered massive floods in Neugal Khad and its tributaries and all other streams, he added. As a result, six persons were trapped near Om Hydro Power Project on Neugal khad. A team of state police and Home Guard Jawans rescued them, he added.

There is a heavy flow of water in Baner Khud and Baan Ganga adjoining Chamunda Ji and the water level in rivulets in Nurpur sub division is on the rise as well, he said.

Landslides were reported at Mehra village in Hadal panchayat Tehsil Nurpur which posed risk to three houses, an official said, adding that the three families were shifted to safer places.

An under-construction dispensary and a room of the 'panchayat ghar' in Darugno collapsed due to the heavy rain and landslides, officials said.

Several roads in the hill-state have been blocked due to landslides including Chatru to Dharamshala, Chamba to Pathankot and Kihar to Chamba among others.

PTI