The normal life was paralyzed in Mandi district as intermittent heavy rain continuing over the past three days caused massive damage to standing crops, roads and erosion of fertile land etc. One person was killed when a hillock fell on his car at Dwada on Mandi-Kullu NH-21 Monday evening.
The green valley of Uttar Sal witnessed colossal damage to crops and houses by landslides. Large number of houses of villages located on the banks of Uhl river (a tributary of Beas) were filled with mud and muck and about a dozen water mills were swept by the force of the flooded water. A jeep of Zalim Singh was also swallowed by the river.
One-kilometer portion of Bagi-Mandha link road was submerged in the flooded river. A transformer of the HPSEB Ltd. was also consumed by the ferocious river as a result of which cluster of villages located in the flood-ravaged valley plunged into darkness.
Danger of collapsing hundreds of houses is looming largely on the panic stricken villagers of the valley where residents have shifted to their relatives residing in villages at higher altitude.
In Padhar sub-division of this district extensive damage has been caused to standing crops, lands and roads by erosion and falling of rocks. Chaman Lal of village Jhunjunu was washed away in the flooded Nullah. Villagers rescued him at the risk of their lives. He has been now admitted in civil hospital Padhar, where he is said to be out of danger.
Massive loss has also been caused in Darang constituency of Thakur Kaul Singh (Health and Revenue Minister), who is reportedly rushing to Mandi to supervise the rescue and rehabilitation measures in the district.
The scene is not different in tehsil Lad Bharol where massive devastation has been reported. Loss has been estimated of about several lakhs. Former PWD and Revenue Minister, Thakur Gulab Singh, has urged the center to immediately rush a team of experts to Himachal Pradesh to assess the quantum of loss and sanction financial assistance.
According to Jai Ram Thakur MLA, and former minister, massive damage has been caused to roads, fruits and potato crops in Seraj segment where several villages have been cut-off from the rest of the state. As many as 20 heads of cattle have been swept in the swollen flooded channels and rivulets. Transport to about two dozen routes in Jogindernagar has been suspended as the roads have been fractured by floods and landslides.