Himachal weather: Chandigarh-Manali highway damaged again after heavy rain near Pandoh; massive devastation in Seraj
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Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in many parts of Himachal Pradesh, leading to significant damage and disruption. The heavy downpour caused the collapse of a highway near Pandoh Dam and blocked numerous roads, leaving 63 routes impassable across the state, including in Shimla.
The relentless rain since last night has also resulted in 319 power transformers going offline, particularly affecting the districts of Mandi, Chamba and Kullu.
In state capital Shimla, intermittent rain has been falling since night. Rainfall measurements from last night include: Kataula at 154.4 mm, Pandoh at 106 mm, Sujanpur Tehra at 80 mm, Gohar at 55 mm, Jot at 54 mm, Dharamshala at 48.4 mm, Kahu at 46.5 mm, Mashobra at 45 mm, Baghi at 40.2 mm, Mandi at 34.2 mm, Baldwara at 32.5 mm and Sundernagar at 30.6 mm.
In Anah gram panchayat of Seraj Assembly constituency in Mandi district, a flooded drain buried cars and bikes in debris, causing severe damage. A house has also been hit by the debris, with other homes nearby under threat. Local residents are working to clear the debris themselves.
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, recently restored after eight months at a cost of around Rs 40 crore near the Pandoh Dam in Mandi district, is once again in peril.
The highway, which was rebuilt after the floods, is showing increasing cracks and is on the verge of collapse. Although traffic has not yet been affected, a landslide near Kanchi Mod on the National Highway has caused damage. A truck, which was parked due to a breakdown, was hit by debris from the landslide.
A road sinking incident between Mandi and Pandoh, which was highlighted two days ago, has worsened due to last night’s rain. One-way traffic has been restored, but significant cracks on the road pose a threat of further damage and potential closure of the highway.
The closure of this highway would severely impact travel to Kullu-Manali, leaving only alternative routes available. This would be particularly challenging for residents of Pandoh and surrounding areas who rely on the highway for daily commuting. A large number of school and college students also travel on this route daily.
