Over 130 roads closed after rain in Himachal, MeT warns of flash flood in 5 districts

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A total of 134 roads, including National Highway 5, were closed on Thursday in Himachal Pradesh following rains, the state emergency operation centre said.

The local meteorological office warned of low to moderate flash flood in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts till Friday and issued a yellow alert of heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in the state on September 2.

The MeT office also predicted heavy rains in 10 out of 12 districts of the state barring Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti on Monday.

Besides National Highway 5 being blocked at Negulsari in Kinnaur district, maximum 59 roads were closed in Shimla, 28 in Sirmaur, 16 each in Kullu and Mandi, 10 in Kangra, two in Lahaul and Spiti, one each in Kinnaur, Una and Chamba, as per the data shared by the state emergency operation centre (SEOC).

As many as 132 power and 54 water supply schemes have also been disrupted in the state, the SEOC said.

Meanwhile, moderate rains lashed several parts of the state in the past 24 hours since Wednesday evening.

Chopal recorded 40.4 mm of rain followed by Nahan 24 mm, Dhaulakuan 21 mm, Poanta Sahib 15.4 mm, Una 14.6 mm, Bharwain 12 mm, Dalhousie 11 mm, Dharamshala and Sarahan 10 mm each, Dharampur 8.6 mm, Sangla 8.2 mm, Mandi 7.6 mm, Kangra 7.4 mm, Kotkhai 7.2 mm, Shimla 5.4 mm and Manali 5 mm.

Himachal’s rainfall deficit so far since the onset of monsoon on June 27 stands at 23 per cent with the state receiving 464.1 mm rainfall against an average of 603.7 mm.

As many as 144 people have died in rain-related incidents so far this year and the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,217 crore, officials said.

On Thursday, Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti was the coldest place in the state, recording a low of 9.5 degrees Celsius, while Dhaulakuan in Sirmaur district was the hottest with a maximum temperature of 32.6 degrees.