Flash floods hit HP villages, two children buried alive
SHIMLA:Two children were buried alive and many houses devastated when a flash flood hit 6 villages of Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.
Two children were buried alive under the debris of their house in Thadedhar village of Sarga Panchayat of Kullu district early Sunday morning. They were identified as Deewan Kumar (13) and Sushil Kumar (18). Their bodies were recovered after much effort.
Four others were also injured and taken to nearest hospital in the mishap. A flash flood hit the village around 3 am and damaged a house completely. Heavy rains in the area also damaged approach road to the village. Some cattle have also reportedly washed away in the flash flood.
Kullu deputy commissioner (DC) Yunus said, “Two children died in Sarga panchayat and their bodies have been recovered. Damage to the house and approach road is also reported.” He said immediate relief has been disbursed and restoration work is on.
The administration has issued the necessary warning and asked people to remain cautious from rivulets. Lateral roads, water supply schemes have also been damaged across Kullu district.
In Sarpara panchayat located in Rampur of Shimla district, rains wreaked havoc damaging houses and agricultural land. Due to rainfall, the approach roads to these interior villages have become risky with landslips at places.
Rampur sub-divisional magistrate Nipun Jindal said a team of revenue officials has been dispatched with relief material to the villages of Sarpara panchayat. “Three houses have been severely damaged in Maloa and one house in Samej and Gaanvpaani each,” he said, adding, “Partial damage has been reported to four houses in Maloa besides damage to road at several places starting from Samej till Sarpara.”
Meanwhile, the MeT office has a forecast of heavy rains in next 24 hours in parts of the state.
VEHICLES SWEPT AWAY IN KANGRA, UNA
DHARAMSHALA : Parts Kangra and Una district also bore the brunt of flash floods on Saturday and Sunday.
A flooded nullah in Rakkar Kaloha in Kangra swept roads and agricultural land while debris entered many houses and shops.
The flood entered a local petrol pump and a pick-up jeep was also washed away.
However, no loss of lives was reported and revenue officials are assessing the damage.
Meanwhile, two people had a narrow escape when the truck they were travelling in was washed away in flooded Thathal rivulet in Una. The duo managed to escape to safety seconds before the flood took the better of their vehicle along with two jeeps and three bikes.
Private property worth lakhs is estimated to be damaged in flash flood in Bangana area of the district.
BOY DROWNS IN MANDI
Meanwhile In Mandi district, a Class 10 boy Kunal Singh (14) drowned in a rivulet at Talyad in Mandi district.
Three class mates jumped into the rivulet to take a bath amid rains. Subsequently, Kunal drowned and his body could be recovered after a long search operation. Mandi SDM Pooja Chauhan said the body would be handed over to the family after post mortem.