New Delhi: 

Since the arrival of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 20, at least 20 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the state while four persons are missing. On Sunday, rain-related incidents claimed three lives in the state. While one person each drowned in Una and Bilaspur districts, another was killed after falling from height in Shimla district, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.

The weather department has also sounded alert for moderate to high flash-flood risk in parts of 10 districts — Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Una — till Monday. It has also issued “red” and “orange” alerts of heavy to very heavy rains in parts of Himachal Pradesh for Monday, and forecast a wet spell in the hill state till July 5. The Met office has also warned of landslides, waterlogging, traffic disruption and damage to vulnerable structures.

Himachal Pradesh is expected to experience heavy rainfall with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing red alert for four districts of the state, including Kangra, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur for Monday. The administration has also ordered closure of schools in these four districts on Monday in view of the red alert for heavy to heavy rainfall issued by the Met office.

In Mandi, all government and private educational institutions in the district will remain closed today, due to possibility of landslides, uprooting of trees, flash floods and road blockage. However, the IIT-Mandi, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital and other medical institutions will remain open. In Kangra too, all educational institutions, excluding residential ones, will remain shut.

According to IMD’s revised warning issued on Sunday evening, “heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at a few places in the districts of Kangra, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur, isolated places in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Shimla districts and heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Kullu and Chamba districts till Monday evening”.

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