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Himachal rivers flowing above danger mark

Red alert in many areas; Chandigarh-Manali highway under water

SHIMLA: The flood situation has taken a serious turn in Himachal Pradesh with "heavy" to "very heavy rains" reported from six districts of Himachal Pradesh.

While the Ravi and Beas rivers were flowing above danger mark with the water level still rising, the Sutlej is flowing below the danger mark.

A flood alert has been sounded in many areas as the Beas and other rivers went in spate, swamping vast tracts of land in Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur and Shimla districts.

Extensive damage

All major power projects have opened their flood-gates and sounded a general alert advising people living downstream to move to safer places.

The wild waters of river Parvati have caused extensive damage at Ghushani in Kullu district, according to the Senior Superintendent of Police, A.P. Singh. He said there were no casualties so far as measures had been taken to evacuate people to safer places.

Highway inundated

The Beas waters had inundated a 5-km stretch of the Chandigarh-Manali highway near Hanogi, 35 km from Mandi, and also entered houses and bazaars in Sainj area in Kullu district.

A bus was marooned under six feet of water near Hanogi but all its passengers had reached safety, the SSP said. National Highway No.21 and 22 and State Highways are blocked. Efforts are being made to restore the traffic.

Around 10,000 people are reported to be affected by the floods. Ten bighas of orchard, 13 bridges and one forest rest house have been washed away. Although, there have been no reports of loss of life so far the loss or damage to public and private property is estimated to be around Rs.100 crore.

Vehicles stranded

Traffic on the Mandi-Kullu stretch of National Highway 21 was suspended and hundreds of vehicles were stranded. Kullu and Mandi districts were under increased risk due to the swollen Beas waters, the SSP said but denied reports that some villages in the districts had been washed away.

Heavy rainfall over the last five days has led to a rise of water level with Satna and Tons rivers flowing a meter above the danger mark.

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