Flash flood in river Chandrabhaga in Lahaul, Spiti damages agriculture land

Agricultural land along the banks of river Chandrabhaga in a village in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh was damaged on Friday due to a rise in the water level following flash floods, according to the state emergency operation centre.

The water level in the river was already rising for the past one week due to the melting of snow, said villagers. They added to have suffered a loss of about Rs 80,000 till now.

The state has suffered a cumulative loss to the tune of Rs 242.40 crores since the onset of the monsoon on June 24. As many as 60 roads are still closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy downpours in the past few days. About 30 roads are expected to be opened by Friday night.

The hill state received 20 per cent excess rain in the month of June as the state recorded 121.7 mm of rainfall against normal rainfall of 101.1 mm, the local weather department said.

Kataula in Mandi district received the highest rainfall in a day with 163.3 mm on June 24. Four active western disturbances have affected the state during the month of June, resulting in scattered to fairly widespread rainfall, the department said.

The state has received four spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the district of Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, Una and Hamirpur from June 23 to 26. Monsoon hit most parts of Himachal Pradesh on June 24.

Maximum rain in the month of June was recorded in 2013 with 241 mm (143 per cent excess), whereas the lowest rainfall was witnessed in 2012 with 28. 8 mm (71 per cent deficit).

Light rains lashed a few parts of the state and Palampur received 41 mm of rain followed by Sundernagar with 21.5 mm of rainfall, Mandi with 19mm, Berthin with 16.5 mm and Chhaila with 16 mm.

The local weather office has predicted a wet spell in the state till July 6.