Shimla, June 28: A total of 17 people have died while four others are missing in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh since the onset of monsoon on June 20, the state emergency operation centre said on Saturday.
Among the 17 fatalities — seven were killed in flash floods, four drowned, two each were electrocuted and fell from height, while a person died of snake bite and another due to other causes, it said.
Light to moderate rainfall lashed several parts of the hill state on Saturday. So far, 38 roads were closed in the state — 23 in Kullu, nine in Mandi, four in Una and one each in Lahaul and Spiti and Sirmaur districts.
The local meteorological office issued an orange warning for heavy rainfall in four to six out of the state’s 12 districts for Sunday and Monday.
Isolated places in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain on Sunday, while Bilaspur, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur are expected to be affected on Monday, it said.
A moderate to high flash flood risk has also been forecast in parts of Solan, Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur till Sunday.
Palampur recorded 66.2 mm of rainfall since Friday evening, followed by 48 mm in Kasauli, 40.2 mm in Berthin, 34 mm in Sarahan, 28.5 mm in Bilaspur, 25 mm in Manali, 19.4 mm in Paonta Sahib, 12 mm in Sundernagar, 11.8 mm in Kangra and 11 mm in Mandi, the weather office said.
Thunderstorms were witnessed in Sundernagar, Kangra and Palampur, while gusty winds of 31 to 65 kmph lashed Reckong Peo, Seobagh, Neri and Tabo.
There was no significant change in temperatures. Keylong was the coldest at night at 12.4 degrees Celsius, while Una recorded the highest day temperature at 35.2 degrees Celsius.(PTI)
