Himachal Pradesh: Over 300 roads closed amid heavy rains, IMD issues orange alert

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Amid the incessant rain in the North Indian hill state Himachal Pradesh, over 300 roads have been blocked, according to the Public Works Department minister. The Indian Meteorological Department, on Monday, issued an orange alert for the next 24 hours in the state.
"Under the leadership of our Chief Minister, we are well prepared for any eventuality, during the past two or three days there has been a rain alert in the state. 301 roads are closed in the state. This rain has caused a 27 Crore rupees loss in the state. The restoration is underway, 180 roads will be opened by today evening and tomorrow on the 27th we shall restore 15 roads. And during the next two days, more 106 roads will be cleared. We shall start a contact number as a hipline by today evening. We have also identified nearly 350 landslide-vulnerable spots and preventive majors are being displayed, we shall ensure that people do not go. there. Yesterday one of our workers died on the spot, people will also have to be responsible. We have also deployed 390 machinery to restore the roads. We shall ensure that all roads are restored," said Vikramaditya Singh, Minister of Public Works Department.
The Public Works Department Minister stated that the restoration is being done on a war footing. He said the state government has identified over 350 vulnerable hot spots in the state which are landslide prone.
"There has been rain across the state for the past 48 hours, during the past 24 hours some places in the state have received heavy to heavy rainfall. The district of Mandi has received the highest rainfall in the state. Sirmaur and Shimla have also received rain. As far as rain intensity is concerned, Sarkaghat received 134 MM rainfall, Baldwara received 92 MM and Sundernagar also received rainfall in the state. This rain will continue and in Sirmaur, Solan and Shimla, it is raining and it is moving towards Hamirpur and Kangra. During the next 4 to 5 days, the rain will continue in the state", said Vikramaditya Singh, Minister of Public Works Department.
"We have issued an orange alert for today and tomorrow. We have issued flash flood alerts also; the water level will increase in low-lying areas. We have issued flash flood alerts for Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Kullu and Kangra, there is a high probability of flash floods, and we are issuing time-to-time alerts to the state government. We are also issuing the alert of visibility conditions in the state. We have also issued a rain warning for Sirmaur, Solan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una, Mandi, Kangra and some parts of the Kullu district for today and tomorrow an orange alert has been issued in the region", added the PWD Minister.
Earlier, on Sunday, the weather department predicted that rain will continue in the state for the next 4-5 days. The landslide and flash flood alert has been issued by the IMD in the region. The visibility conditions are also expected to be very low during the next week in the state.
"Heavy rainfall, thunderstorm & lightning are likely at isolated places over plains, and low and mid hills on June 25 & 26. Flash floods are likely to occur in the districts of Kangra, Mandi and Solan; Traffic congestion, poor visibility and disruption in electric supply", said the weather department.
In addition to this, in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, one-way traffic was restored on the Chandigarh-Manali highway, on Monday, according to Deputy Commissioner, Arindam Choudhary.
On Sunday, in view of the rain, the Mandi-Kullu highway was blocked.
As the monsoon hit several parts of the country, heavy rains lashed many parts of Uttarakhand also.
District Magistrate of Rudraprayag, Mayur Dixit, spoke to ANI about the ongoing Kedarnath Yatra amid pouring rains in the state.
"The pilgrims who were stopped at Sonprayag have been sent to Kedarnath after the weather cleared in Kedarghati. At present, the Kedarnath Yatra is going on with caution", said Dixit.
The DM added that a decision regarding the yatra will be taken on the alert of the weather department.
Additionally, amid the waterflood occurring in the state, several parts of the capital, Haridwar, were also reported waterlogged, on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department, on Sunday, said that the Southwest Monsoon is active and has covered the whole of Maharashtra. The monsoon will move forward in the next two days covering the other parts as well. (ANI)