Landslide on Manimahesh route; 11 roads closed in Himachal Pradesh

18

A landslide obstructed the route to Manimahesh Dal lake in Bharmour area of Chamba district on Thursday.

A 19-second video of the event that occurred between Goinallah and Donali, made by a traveller, turned up on social media.

Though Manimahesh Yatra starts from August 17 and stays on till September 15, devotees and tourists take the yatra outside these dates as well.

The administration has asked people not to take the route and has put up information boards on the stretch.

Eleven roads including four each in Shimla and Mandi and three in Kangra, are closed for vehicular traffic following rain last week, the state emergency operation centre said.

Light rain continue to take place across the state.

Kasauli, with 39 mm of rain, was the wettest, followed by Dharamsala 22.6 mm, Poanta Sahib 22 mm, Nahan 13.2 mm, Olinda 8.4 mm, Sarahan and Dalhousie 6 mm each, and Shimla 3.5 mm.

The Met office in Shimla has issued a ‘yellow’ warning predicting heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on Friday and Saturday. It has predicted a wet spell till July 17.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a minimum night temperature of 11.7 degrees Celsius, while Una was hottest during the day recording a high of 38 degree Celsius.

Meanwhile, the state Directorate of Tourism and Civil Aviation in a statement said majority of the roads in the state are open and accessible for the tourists and residents.

Key tourist destinations, including Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti are open for tourists, the statement read.