Cloudbursts hit Chamba, Mandi, woman swept away in Hamirpur

Flash flood alert in 10 dists for 24 next hours, says MeT

- Shailee Dogra

As monsoon continues to wreak havoc in the hill state, Chamba and Mandi were hit by cloudburst on Sunday, Albeit no casualty was reported, three pedestrian bridges were washed away.

Meanwhile, in Hamirpur, a migrant woman reportedly swept away in the Barsar area after heavy rains resulted in the rise of water level in Shukra Khad. The victim, Kiran Kumar, 29, was a resident of Bihar.

Sub divisional magistrate (SDM, Padhar) in Mandi district, Surjeet Singh, said, “There has been no loss of life or property in this cloudburst incident. In the incident, three foot bridges and ‘one vehicle-worthy bridge were washed away in Kugdi and Kotarang drains.”

While another cloudburst occurred in Churah of Chamba ‘on Sunday morning resulting in destruction of a newly constructed bridge. As a result four panchayats of the area have lost connectivity with the rest of the state.

The IMD on Sunday has sounded a moderate to high flash flood alert in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh for 24 hours.