Himachal Pradesh: IMD predicts heavy rainfall in eight districts, issues orange alert

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 12 (ANI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued an orange alert for eight districts of the state. 

According to Bui Lal, Deputy Director of IMD, "The rain is forecasted for most of the places. We have issued orange alerts of heavy rainfall in Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Una districts of the state," said Bui Lal.

He added that in the past 24 hours, the majority of the locations in the Kangra, Solan, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Hamirpur districts received considerable rainfall over the previous 24 hours.

"Palampur recorded 102 mm, Sujanpur Tira received 92 mm, Bijhi and Mandi received 90 mm of rainfall," he said further.

Earlier in the day, the National Highway number 5 running through Himachal Pradesh was temporarily closed at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo in the state's Solan district due to landslides, police said.

The Highway was opened for light vehicles on Thursday but had to be shut again on Friday due to landslides the police said.

A six-year-old boy in the Kullu district was killed and several other persons sustained injuries when stones and rocks fell on a car they were travelling in, police said today.

According to officials, four members of a family, including two children, were travelling in their car when stones and rocks fell on it on Friday.

All four were rushed to the zonal hospital, Mandi, where the boy was declared dead due to a head injury.

Another child sustained an injury on his eye but was declared to be out of danger, they said. The family hailed from Sundernagar of Mandi district and they were on their way from Kullu when the mishap took place.

The Shimla-Kalka road on the National Highway-5 was shut after a landslide in the State's Solan district in the early hours of Friday. This road was opened on Thursday after one week.

According to officials, over 200 roads across the state are still closed due to heavy rainfall and subsequent incidents of landslides and falling debris from hills.

"There are over 200 roads closed in the state and restoration is underway, over 200 electricity supply schemes are also chamfered.

Our teams and officers are in the field," State Revenue and Horticulture Minister, Jagat Singh Negi said on Friday. (ANI)