Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc In Himachal, Highways Blocked

Two Killed, 14 Missing; Kangra Worst-Hit District

Shimla/Manali: A woman and a girl were killed and 14 locals were missing as incessant heavy rainfall since Sunday night wreaked havoc across Himachal Pradesh and floodwaters surged into villages and towns. National and state highways were blocked due to landslides and flash floods in nullahs damaged houses and swept vehicles away.

Kangra was the worst-hit district in the state and both deaths were recorded there. A nine-year-old girl from Chahdi village under Nagrota subdivision was swept away in the gushing water of a nullah adjoining her home when she was returning from the market. Her body was recovered after hours of searching by her family, villagers and police. The second person to be killed was a woman whose body was recovered from the debris of a landslide in Rulehad Boh Valley. Another 12 were missing in Boh valley of Shahpur sub-division. Heavy rain is expected on Tuesday too.

All tourists to HP accounted for till now

One person and two buf-faloes were washedaway at Manjhi Khad. A 23-year-old woman from Kullu returning to Manali after trekking in the Hamta area was swept away in a flooded nullah and is missing. A member of her trekking team was injured in the incident.

At Bhagsunag, near Dharamshala, several vehicles and some houses were washed away by water that roared out of an overflowing local nullah. Twenty-five people are stranded in Rulehad Boh Valley and Haled Darini, in Shahpur sub-division, two in Gajkhad and two more in Shahpur Khad.