Even as incessant rains continued to batter parts of Himachal Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert in the state for Friday, predicting moderate to heavy rainfall amid threats of flash floods and landslides.
In view of the heavy rain alert, authorities have ordered the closure of all schools in Shimla on Friday. Meanwhile, the weather department said that the wet spell is expected to last till August 29.
Torrential rains this monsoon season have caused massive landslides, flooding, and building collapses across the hill state.
Travellers stranded on Kullu-Mandi highway
As many as 729 roads are closed in the state and several areas are without electricity as 2,897 power transformers have been damaged, said Principal Secretary (revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma, reported news agency PTI.
Hundreds of travellers were stranded after landslides blocked the Kullu-Mandi road. A queue of vehicles was seen on both sides of landslide-hit area.
They were shifted to relief camps set up in hotels, rest houses and residential homes at Pandoh, Aut and Bajaura, said officials.
Over 120 people have died in landslides and other rain-related incidents in the state this month, about 80 of them since August 14. In total, 242 people have died in the state since the monsoon began on June 24.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhu on Thursday claimed that the state has suffered losses of Rs 12,000 crore so far.