Cloudburst triggers flash flood in Himachal; part of Leh-Manali highway closed

Shimla/Manali: A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst swept away three houses and critically damaged another one in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, leaving four families homeless, officials said on Thursday.

They said the deluge struck late Wednesday night. No casualties have been reported so far.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Manali Raman Sharma said the Beas Kund Power House was also damaged. "Three houses have been washed away while one is endangered," he said.

An immediate financial assistance of Rs 15,000 each was extended to the four affected families and temporary arrangements are being made for them, the official said.
Authorities are assessing the losses. There are 19 people in total in the four affected families.

According to police in Lahaul and Spiti district, a stretch of National Highway-3, which connects Manali with Leh, was closed for vehicular traffic between Dhundi and Palchan Bridge due to the cloudburst at the Anjani Mahadev nullah in Manali.

Traffic movement from Lahaul and Spiti to Manali and vice-versa are being diverted via Rohtang pass, the police said in an advisory. It also asked commuters to travel only if necessary, drive cautiously and stay aware of the possible danger en route.
Fifteen roads 12 in Mandi, two in Kinnaur and one in Kangra were closed for vehicular traffic and 62 transformers were damaged in the state on Wednesday night, the state emergency operation centre said.

The Shimla meteorological office Thursday issued a 'yellow' alert of heavy rainfall at isolated places in the state for the next four days till July 29. It cautioned about damage to plantations and standing crops, vulnerable structures and 'kutcha' houses due to strong winds, and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
The Jatton barrage has recorded 95.2 mm of rainfall since Wednesday evening. Palampur received 68 mm downpour, Naina Devi 42.6 mm, Dharamshala 35.4 mm, Mehre 34.1 mm, Dalhousie and Baijnath 25 mm each and Shimla 24.8 mm.

Forty-nine people have died in rain-related incidents in the state since the onset of the monsoon on June 27 and losses suffered so far are worth around Rs 389 crore, the emergency operation centre said.