At least 25 people have died and over 500 stranded in different parts of Himachal Pradesh as several roads have been blocked by landslides and flash floods, in the state.
Even as heavy rains have already claimed 25 lives in Himachal Pradesh over the past two days, the meteorological department on Monday predicted that the downpour is likely to continue in parts of the the state during the next 24 hours.
The local Indian Meteorological Department said the state received the highest ever rainfall for a 24-hour period, since records began almost 70 years ago which caused damage to roads.
"The state as a whole received 102.5 mm and this was 1,065 per cent more than normal for this day," the IMD said in a statement on Sunday. This is the highest ever rainfall in 24 hours over the state, it added.
The higher reaches of Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts experienced snowfall. Keylong town in Lahaul-Spiti district too saw snow.
Officials said efforts are on to clear the roads and restore traffic to move them to safer places. The National Disaster Relief Force is diverting the water accumulated in Kangra district's Nurpur sub-division by digging an alternative route.
Meanwhile, the State Government has released Rs 15 crore to different departments for undertaking restoration works damaged due to torrential rains during the last two days in the State
Addressing the Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing from Shimla on Monday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that as many as 25 people lost their lives in the State due to heavy rains during the last two days. He said that the State has suffered total losses of about Rs 574 crore during the current monsoon.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has released Rs. 10 crore to Public Works department, Rs 4 crore to Irrigation and Public Health department and Rs 1 crore to HPSEBL for undertaking restoration works. He directed the Deputy Commissioners of the State to immediately assess the damages in their respective districts and submit the report to the government at the earliest.
Thakur directed the Deputy Commissioner Shimla to lay special thrust on restoration of roads in the apple belt so that the growers do not face hardship in transportation of their produce to the markets. He said that trees declared as dangerous must also be identified and removed to avoid any eventuality. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure speedy restoration of electricity, water supply and communication networks in their respective districts.
The Chief Minister said that the district administrations must also ensure that the locals and tourists do not venture near river beds as sudden rise in water level could be dangerous. He said that debris and blockage from major National Highways such as Kalka-Shimla and Pathankot- Mandi-Manali must be cleansed at the earliest so as to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur informed in the meeting that heavy rains during the last two days has resulted in washing away of about 8000 apple plants in the district. Deputy Commissioner Solan said that major damage in the district was reported from Nalagarh Sub Division. DC Kangra said that about 250 IPH schemes were affected in the district due to heavy rains, out of which most have been restored and remaining would be restored by Tuesday.
DC Chamba said that all precautionary steps would be taken during the Manimahesh Yatra. DC Bilaspur apprised the Chief Minister that 140 roads in the district got damaged and one death was reported due to rains during the last two days. DC Mandi said that efforts would be made to restore the Mandi-Manali Highway to facilitate the tourists and general commuters.
The chief minister directed the DC Lahaul-Spiti to ensure immediate evacuation of people and tourists stranded in the valley due to untimely snow in the valley.
Speaker Vidhan Sabha Rajiv Bindal, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahinder Singh Thakur, Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Deputy Speaker Hans Raj, Chief Secretary B.K.Agarwal and senior officers attended the meeting.