North India Floods: Watch As Heavy Rains, Flash Floods Wreck Havoc In Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh and other neighbouring states in North India are witnessing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall for the last few days, triggering landslides and flash floods.

In the past 48 hours, around 20 major landslides,17 flash floods, over 30 houses have been completely and partially damaged as per media reports.

According to a July 10 PTI report, the flash floods and landslides have claimed 18 lives in the past couple of days, affecting most hydropower projects and destroying property worth hundreds of crores of rupees.

Netizens have shared frightening videos of the chaos unleashed by the rains. In the videos, vehicles floating like paper boats on roads, muddy waters gushing into residential areas, temples and other structures submerged on the banks by the swollen rivers and land cave-ins can be seen.

PTI reported that over 300 tourists and local people are stranded in Chandertal, Pagal Nallah and other places in Lahaul and Spiti, while teams of National Disaster Response Force, police and home guard rescued 515 labourers from waterlogged slum areas at Lalsingi in Una district.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said efforts are on to rescue the 300 stranded people, and they could be airlifted as the weather clears. Power and water supply has been snapped in several areas.

He said an assessment of loss is underway and it is estimated to be in the range of Rs 3,000-Rs. 4000 crore, according to a government statement.

Traffic has been disrupted as a result of the closure of five National Highways, while 1,743 transformers and 138 water supply schemes have been affected.

The affected national highways are NH-21, connecting Mandi to Kullu; NH-505, connecting Gramphu to Locar; NH-03, connecting Kullu to Manali; NH-305, connecting Aut to Jalori; and NH-707, connecting Rohru to Poanta Sahib near Shillai in the Sirmaur district.

Due to landslides and fallen trees blocking the railway track at multiple locations, all train services between the UNESCO heritage sites of Shimla and Kalka have been suspended.

The Himachal Pradesh state government have ordered the closure of government schools and colleges for July 10 and July 11. As many as 765 roads including Chandigarh- Manali National Highway were closed. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appealed to the people to avoid going out in heavy rains, especially near rivers and nullahs, and remain vigilant.