Reports of colossal damage caused by thunderstorm, lightning, hail and heavy rain reached the Divisional headquarters here from different parts of the division. Officials have confirmed extensive damage to fruits, standing crops and property. No loss of life has, however, been reported.
As many as 60 heads sheep and goat were killed when lightening struck the herd, injuring three women and a shepherd in Dabihard and Dhanela villages of Gohar Valley of Seraj Wednesday night.
At Ram Nagar in the outskirt of Mandi town, a hillock slipped on a residential house as the retaining wall gave in and huge debris fell on it. The inmates had a providential escape.
lightening struck the the house of Alam Singh Pathania in village Manyana of Sundernagar sub-division which partially burnt the house including electronic gadgets. No loss of life was, however, reported.
The heavy lightening caused panic in the high-altitude Janjehli valley of the district where television sets and electronic appliances were damaged. The ATM and other devices of the Punjab National Bank were also destroyed, a local resident lalit Kumar said,
In Sarkaghat sub-division, big hail-balls, seen first time in the living memory of the people, lashed the area breaking window-panes of the buses and cars and the gushing water of heavy rain entered in the houses of the people. In Jogindernagar sub-division the standing bumper wheat crop was damaged by rain and hail.
In the adjoining Hamirpur district at Nadaun a dead body of an old woman kept on the bank of Beas for cremation washed away as the Beas water soared suddenly. It was extricated from a distance of about 2 km downstream and did its cremation
Deputy Commissioner, Sandeep Kadam said the teams of revenue officials would be assigned to assess the quantum of loss caused by squall, hail and rain.