78 dead in Himachal rain; Uttarakhand districts on landslide alert
What's the story
Himachal Pradesh has been reeling under severe weather conditions since the monsoon season began on June 20. The state has witnessed 23 flash floods, 19 cloudbursts, and 16 landslides, killing at least 78 people. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), of these deaths, 50 were due to rain-related incidents, while the rest were road accidents.
Infrastructure damage
Bank submerged in floodwaters
The flash floods have also caused massive infrastructural damage in the state. In Mandi district, the first floor of the Himachal Cooperative Bank in Mandi district has been damaged, causing an estimated loss of crores of rupees and jewelry worth lakhs. Local trader Hari Mohan said it was "the only bank for a town with a population of eight thousand." He added that "the cash, documents and lockers kept in the bank have all turned into rubble."
Others
State government has geared up lot of machinery
Other public services have also been severely impacted, with 269 highways blocked, 285 electricity transformers disturbed, and 278 water supply systems left inoperable in the last 48 hours, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SECO). "A lot of havoc is wreaked during the monsoon....The epicenter of this is Mandi...The state government has geared up a lot of machinery, and we are restoring roads, water supply and electricity on a large scale," Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said on Sunday.
Weather forecast
IMD issues red alert for several districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted "very heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning" in Himachal Pradesh for Monday. A red alert has been issued for Sirmaur, Kangra, and Mandi districts, while an orange alert is in place for Shimla, Solan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una, Kullu, and Chamba districts. Meanwhile, the Geological Survey of India has issued a landslide warning for four Uttarakhand districts—Tehri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi.
Landslide warning
Landslide warning in Uttarakhand
The landslide warning in Uttarakhand is applicable on July 7 and 8 for several subdivisions. These include Chamoli, Ukhimath, Ghansali, Narendra Nagar, Dhanaulti, Dunda, and Chinyalisaur. In view of this, the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has put all district magistrates, police, and SDRF on high alert. Officials have been asked to keep equipment ready to manage roads effectively during this period.