More than 300 roads, including two national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh amid fresh incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Several bridges were also washed away in the state’s Shimla, and Lahaul and Spiti districts.
In Shimla, a police post was swept away after floods in the Ganvi ravine, while a bus stand and the adjoining shops were also damaged due to heavy rain. Unidentified officials told the news agency that two bridges were washed away, cutting off Koot and Kyav panchayats.
In Lahaul and Spiti district, two more bridges were washed away in floods triggered by cloudbursts in Karpat, Changut and Udgos Nala of the Mayad valley.
Incidents of cloudbursts were also reported in Shrikhand hill in the Nirmand subdivision and Bathadh hill in the Banjar subdivision in Kullu district, PTI reported. The Kurpan ravine was flooded and the administration evacuated the Bagipul market due to the extreme weather.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Ravish told the news agency that a team had left for the site and the damage is being assessed. No loss of life has been reported so far, she said, adding that several cottages had been damaged and vehicles washed away.
A cloudburst also occurred in Shimla’s Rampur area.
A total of 325 roads have been closed in the state. The State Emergency Operation Centre said that 179 of these roads were in Mandi district and 71 in the adjoining Kullu district.
The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts on Thursday. It has also issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in isolated areas from Friday to Sunday.
Unidentified officials also told PTI that the state had incurred losses to the tune of Rs 2,031 crore since the onset of the monsoon on June 20.
So far this monsoon, 126 persons have died in rain-related incidents in the state, while 36 were missing. The state has also seen 63 incidents of flash floods, 31 cloudbursts and 57 major landslides.
Red alert in Delhi
Heavy rain was recorded in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region on Thursday morning, The Indian Express reported. The IMD has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in the region.
The rain started at around 2 am and continued into the morning, the newspaper reported, citing data from the weather agency. Till 8.30 am, Ayanagar at 57.4 mm had received the highest amount of rainfall, followed by Palam at 49.4 mm, Mayur Vihar at 17.5 mm and the Ridge at 17.4mm.
The national capital is expected to receive light to moderate rain during the day.
Waterlogging was seen in several areas, including the Outer Ring Road and Palam Vihar.
Heavy rainfall warning in Telangana
Telangana saw heavy rainfall in several districts on Wednesday, with at least three locations recording over 20 centimetres of showers overnight, The Hindu reported, citing data from the state Development Planning Society.
The IMD has issued a red alert in three districts – Vikarabad, Sangareddy and Medak – and an orange alert in Kamareddy, Nizamabad and Adilabad districts on Thursday.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also announced that all government and private schools within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits will function for half a day on Thursday in light of the weather, The Hindu reported.
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