Rain claims 100 lives in Himachal Pradesh since start of monsoon

Rain has taken 100 lives since the onset of monsoon on June 27 and continues to thwart the traffic in the state with 97 roads closed at the moment, officials said on Thursday.

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The Met office on Thursday issued an 'orange' warning, foreboding heavy to very rainfall, marked by thunderstorm and lightning, at places in Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur districts for Saturday.

According to the state emergency operation centre, 30 people died after falling from a height, 23 in accidental drowning, 14 of snake bite, 13 due to electrocution, 11 in cloudbursts, three in flash floods and one in landslide and five due to other reasons. The maximum deaths, 21, were reported from Mandi, followed by 18 in Kangra while Shimla and Sirmaur districts for nine deaths each.

The Met also warned of a low to moderate flash flood in parts of Sirmaur, Chamba, Shimla, and Mandi districts in the next 24 hours.