HimVani
Shimla (Aug 17): A cloudburst hit Rangri village of Manali sub-division last night, claiming one life as a van carrying two people was washed down by a flashflood triggered by cloudburst near Tibetan School last night, senior administration officers confirmed.
SDM Manali, Balbir Thakur told HimVani over phone that the cloudburst hit Rangi village near Manali last night and washed away a truck and van. The rescue operation could begin only in the morning today and a body was retrieved from the ill-fated van burred in muck, while the driver of the van had a narrow escape. The deceased was identified as Daleep Bali of Saproon area in Solan town.
He said that the Chandigarh-Manali highway (NH 21) and Manali-Keylong highway were reopened for vehicular traffic after clearing the boulders that came down on both the roads. The Larjji power house on Beas river and a 60 mw project on Rangri Nalah had to be shut down due to heavy silt. The Hindustan Tibet national highway, blocked at Pangi nalah near Pawari in Kinnaur, was also cleared.
Report arriving from Kangra said that Pong dam level was increased by four feet every day, thereby storing about 55,000 cusec beyond its capacity, forcing authority to open its spill gates this morning.
