50-year-old bridges, highway swept away amid rain fury in Himachal Pradesh. Watch
Several bridges in Himachal Pradesh collapsed as rains wreaked havoc across India.
As torrential rain battered Himachal Pradesh, several bridges were seen collapsing in videos shared by people on social media. Several bridges in Himachal Pradesh collapsed as rains wreaked havoc across India. People on social media shared visuals of many bridges in the hill state that crashed into rivers where the flow of water appeared extremely powerful.
Read: Heavy rainfall alert for north India: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi to witness downpour today
Additional district magistrate, Mandi, Ashwani Kumar said that the historical Panchvaktra bridge was washed away as the river's water level increased.
Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed a 50-year-old bridge connecting Aut in Mandi district with Larji beside Sainj and Banjar being washed away in the heavy rain.
Former state Chief Minister Jairam Thakur expressed concern as these bridges held significant historical significance for Himachal and said they were the "identity of Himachal".
Read: Rain to continue: Landslides in Himachal; schools shut in Delhi, Noida on Monday
Moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms are very likely to continue in the districts of Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Una, Hamirpur, Mandi and Kullu at most places, predicted India Meteorological Department. The IMD added that very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places while light to moderate showers may occur at a few places in the rest of the districts.
The incessant downpour led to at least 20 landslides, 17 flash floods and over 30 houses being damaged reportedly, taking with it roads and vehicles. All major rivers including Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Swan and Chenab are in spate, officials said.
Earlier, videos showed a swollen Beas river sweeping away a portion of the national highway in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu.
Schools and colleges will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. two days. Nearly 765 roads including Chandigarh- Manali were shut and hundreds of people stranded in different parts of the state, including in Chandratal in Lahaul and Spiti and near Sadhupul in Solan district.
While six people died in rain-related incidents on Sunday, the death toll has risen to 54 since June 24.
A Twitter user 'Weatherman Shubham' tweeted a video of Chamba’s Bakan bridge knocked down by strong currents in Ravi river.
Watch | In videos, monsoon showers create mayhem in north India
Reports also emerged of muddy water gushing into houses in Una, shops submerged in Manali, and vehicles flowing in floodwater at Nullah in Kullu, Kinnaur and Chamba districts.
Meanwhile, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged citizens to not go near rivers and to stay vigilant.
(With inputs from agencies)
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