Three washed away in monsoon flash flood in Shimla district

Three washed away in monsoon flash flood in Shimla district

Shimla, July 22

Tragedy struck Jogoti village of Diswani Gram Panchayat in Chohara under Rohru subdivision in the district, as three individuals, including a woman, were swept away in a devastating flash flood last night. The incident occurred after relentless rainfall.

According to police sources, the victims were a couple, Roshan Lal and Bhaga Devi, who ran a food eatery in Chohara, along with their grandson Kartik. The family was caught in the spate of the swollen Laila Rivulet, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Rescue operations have been initiated by the administration and rescue teams to trace the missing individuals. However, given the severity of the flash flood, there are fears that they might have been buried under the muck.

The monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in the entire state, with normal life coming to a standstill. As many as 656 major roads and three National Highways have been disrupted. Notably, NH 505 is blocked between Gramphu to Lossar in Lahaul Spiti district, NH-3 between Kullu and Manali, and NH707 near Shillai in Sirmaur district. The incessant rainfall has also led to disruptions in power supply across 1673 transmission lines and water supply across 376 schemes.

The state has reported a rain toll of 138, with 169 individuals injured. The authorities estimate that the revenue loss to state and private properties has surged above Rs 5000 Crore. Numerous houses, cowsheds, and shops have been damaged in the state, exacerbating the situation.

Despite efforts, the relief and restoration works are progressing at a sluggish pace. The unceasing rainfall has further disrupted normal life in the last 24 hours, severely impacting essential services like water, power, communications, and transportation in the state.

Team Himachal Scape