Part of NH-3 closed after flash floods due to cloudburst in Himachal

Shimla/Manali: A portion of National Highway-3 has been closed for vehicular traffic after a cloudburst in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh triggered floods, police said on Thursday. No casualties have been reported so far in the incident that took place late Wednesday night, they said. According to officials, the section between Dhundi and Palchan Bridge on NH-3, also known as Leh-Manali Road, has been affected due to a cloudburst in Anjani Mahadev Nallah in Manali area. The Lahaul and Spiti Police said in an advisory on Thursday that vehicles going from Lahaul and Spiti to Manali through the northern portal of the Atal Tunnel have been diverted towards Rohtang. Also, travellers have been asked to travel only when necessary, drive carefully and be aware of potential danger on the way. The State Emergency Operations Centre said that 15 roads were closed in the state on Wednesday night, including 12 in Mandi, two in Kinnaur and one in Kangra district. Also, 62 transformers were disrupted. There are reports of damage to a power project and some houses, but officials assessing the damage have not yet confirmed it. The local meteorological department on Wednesday issued a ‘yellow’ alert of heavy rain at different places in Himachal Pradesh for the next four days i.e. till July 28. It warned about damage to orchards and standing crops, weak structures and ‘kutcha’ houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas in the state. The Emergency Operations Centre said that a total of 49 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state since the onset of monsoon on June 27, causing losses of about Rs 389 crore.