Nearly 20 people killed in current monsoon season: HP govt

Nearly 20 people have died in Himachal Pradesh in landslide-related incidents, flash floods and cloudbursts during the current monsoon season, an official said today.
Till now, 124 cattle have died and 280 roads were damaged and blocked due to heavy rainfall in the state, Additional Secretary (Disaster Management) Tarun Sridhar said.
"As many as 20 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh in landslide, flash floods and cloudbursts during the current monsoon season," he said at a review meeting presided over by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
In the past two to three days, 740 structures of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) were also damaged, he said.

The officer informed the meeting that 200 roads would be opened and 540 IPH schemes had been restored.
The total loss due to damage caused by rains to roads was Rs 291 crore and to IPH schemes was assessed at Rs 80 crore while the total loss was Rs 380 crore, he said.

The chief minister directed officials to ensure proper and immediate dissemination of warning and alerts, besides opening the block roads on war footing.
Roads should be opened at the earliest to ensure apple trade was not affected, Singh said
He also directed the agriculture and horticulture departments to access the lossand damage due to heavy rains.

All departments should prepare and update memorandum of losses so that same is complied at State level and sent to the central government, Singh said.
He asked the state health department to conduct a special drive for prevention of epidemics and water borne diseases, and keep monitoring the situation.
Quick response teams (QRT) should be made operational in all the districts and deputy commissioners should ensure that all roads are opened for traffic and the damage to the public and private property was assessed immediately, Singh directed.
The chief minister said all hydel power project authorities warn people in their respective areas 24 hours before releasing water from reservoirs.

He said Rs 64 crore had been released to deputy commissioners and departments such as the PWD and IPH, and electricity board for immediate restoration works.
Sridhar informed that the rain deficit was six per cent, but the pattern is very erratic and disastrous, and this had led to loss of lives and property in the state.
Meanwhile, heavy rains lashed several places in mid and lower hills.
Nainadevi recorded 140 mm of rains, followed by Bangana 104 mm, Sujanpur Tira 98 mm, Nagrotasurian 95 mm, Nadaun 85 mm, Dehragopipur 84 mm, Guler 78 mm, Mehre 74 mm, Berthin 66 mm, Una 62 mm, Kheri 57 mm, Bharari 56 mm, Bijahi and Ghumarwin 54 mm, Pandoh 51 mm, Gohar 45 mm, Gaggal and Shimla 44mm, Jhandutta 40 mm, Bhoranj 38 mm, Arki 36 mm, Mashobra 34 mm and Sundernagar 33 mm.

The local Met office has warned of heavy rains in mid and lower hills over next up to August 12 and wet spell in the region upto August 14.
The minimum temperatures stayed marginally above normal and Keylong recored a low of 14.9 degrees Celsius, followed by Kalpa 15, Manali 15.6, Dharamshala 17, Shimla 17.5, Mandi 19. 2, Nahan and Palampur 20.6 each, Bhuntar 21.4, Solan 21.5, Sundernagar 21.6, Una 22.3, Kangra 22.7 degrees Celsius.
Maximum temperature dropped marginally and Sundernagar recorded a high of 29.7 degrees Celsius followed by Bhuntar 29.5, Una 28.4, Kangra 28.1, Dharamshala 27.4, Nahan 26.2, Solan 26, Kalpa 24 and Shimla 22.4 degrees Celsius.