Himachal Pradesh on Orange Alert: Rains claim 6 lives in 48 hours

Six people have died, one person is missing and 10 others have been injured in the last two days since heavy rain lashed Himachal Pradesh that has lead to flash floods and landslides in the mountainous terrains.As many as 5,000 vehicles are stuck and tourists are stranded after landslides have blocked Kiratpur to Manali four-lane highway.Heavy landslide triggered by incessant rain in the state has blocked the Mandi-Kullu road. The route leading to Parashar ahead of Kamand is also closed due to flash floods.High risk of landslides & rock fallLocals and tourists have been advised not to stay on the roads adjacent to mountains as there is a high risk of landslides and rock fall.“There was a very heavy landslide around midnight at 6 Mile and 7 Mile near Pandoh and huge boulders fell on the road. Heavy machinery is required to remove the boulders,” a report by Indian Express quoted Additional Superintendent of Police (Mandi) Sagar Chander as saying.The senior police officer said traffic was stopped after landslides hit the stretch around 6 pm Sunday. The debris was cleared by midnight but another heavy landslide occurred around 1:30 am Monday.Heavy rainfall over the past couple of days have led to the landslides. The Southwest Monsoon reached Himachal Pradesh on June 24.The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in a report on Monday stated that around 83 roads and two national highways have been closed in Himachal. The roads which have been largely affected are in the Mandi district where 29 roads have been closed to traffic.Meanwhile, SDRF and NDRF personnel have been deployed by Himachal Pradesh government to clear the roads.Orange alert issues in Himachal Himachal has already witnessed non-stop downpour for the last 48 hours with Mandi district receiving maximum rain showers in the last 24 hours."It is still raining. The situation will remain for about 4-5 days. Orange alert has been issued for today and tomorrow," IMD said.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.