Rain updates: Toll in Himachal Pradesh rises to 85, orange alert issued in Delhi

At least 85 persons have died in rain-related incidents since the onset of the monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 20, ANI quoted the State Disaster Management Authority as saying on Thursday.

Thirty-four persons were missing and 129 have been injured, India Today reported.

Of the total, 54 deaths were caused due to flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts, while 31 persons were killed in road accidents, ANI reported. In the past 24 hours, 204 roads in the state were blocked, including the National Highway connecting Mandi to Dharampur via Kotli

Mandi district remained the worst-affected, where more than 130 roads were blocked. The district also reported major power outages and that water supply systems were damaged, the news agency reported.

“All emergency services are on alert,” unidentified officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre told ANI. “Restoration of road access, electricity, and water supply is ongoing.”

The State Disaster Management Authority appealed to the public to avoid travelling on vulnerable routes, especially in high-altitude and landslide-prone areas, as more rain was predicted in the coming days.

As per the latest forecast by the Regional Meteorological Department in Shimla, an orange alert has been issued for Hamirpur, Mandi and Solan with light to moderate rain likely in several places on Thursday, India Today reported. Intense spells were also expected in isolated...

Read more

News