Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 28 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday urged people to stay away from rivers and streams as the parts of the state, including the district of Kullu, battled heavy rains and snowfall
The chief minister urged people to remain cautious and follow the guidelines issued by the administration.
"I have been taking stock of the situation since morning. All people are requested to be cautious and follow the guidelines issued by the administration. Stay away from rivers and streams," Sukhu said while talking to reporters.
The Himachal Pradesh CM stated that the authorities have been directed to open the gates for one of the power project dams as heavy downpours gripped the Kullu valley, causing floods and landslides in the district.
"I spoke with the Deputy Commissioners of Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti. We welcome the rains, but Kullu witnessed heavy downpours. We have directed to open the gates for one of the power project dams," Sukhu said.
Intense snowfall was reported in the upper Himalayan regions of Lahaul and Spiti. The Meterological Centre in Shimla issued an alert for heavy rain and snowfall in many parts of the State, including the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi.
Torrential rains have caused flooding and landslides in lower areas in Kullu district. In several areas of the district, roads have been blocked, and vehicles have been trapped or swept away in flash floods.
In several areas, electricity and drinking water services remain unavailable, and traffic has been halted. The administration has issued an alert to people living near the rivers and drains.
Deputy Commissioner Kullu Torul S Ravish has appealed to people to remain indoors till the water level goes down.
"Many link roads and the main road on the left bank are blocked due to rains for the last 15-16 hours. I request the public to remain where they are as the water level has also increased in rivers and nalas. Due to sudden landslides, water flow in the river can increase. Work is underway to restore electricity in Manali and Kullu," Ravish said.
"There is a report of one-feet snow in Manali. Educational institutions in the district are closed today due to heavy rain. The main national highway from Jalori side is closed," he added.
Executive Officer of Kullu Municipal Council Anubhav Sharma said that information on landslides has been recieved from several places.
Kullu Municipal Council President Gopal Krishan Mahant said that a landslide occured around 7 am, due to which the drains were blocked, and the water was diverted to the Gandhinagar and Shastrinagar markets, causing heavy losses.
"The flash flood started around 7 am in drains (in Kullu district), which blocked the drain, diverting the water to Gandhinagar and Shastrinagar markets and causing heavy losses", he said.