Heavy rains lash Shimla, key roads blocked across Himachal Pradesh

Debris and stones damaged several vehicles parked on roadsides in various parts of the city as Shimla received 99.2 mm of rains in the past 12 hours leading to blocking of a key road.

Twenty roads, including the National Highway 5 near Theog in Shimla, were blocked due to heavy rain, according to the state emergency operation centre.

Several parts of the state have received moderate to very heavy rain since Friday.

Kataula in Mandi district was wettest with 163.3 mm of rain followed by Sinhuta, 160 mm, Kasauli, 145 mm, Kangra which recieved 143.5 mm.

State capital Shimla received 99.2 mm of rain, Gohar, 81mm, Jubbarhatti, 76.5 mm, Pandoh, 74 mm, Sundernagar, 70 mm, Pachhad, 65.2 mm, Mandi, 58.5 mm, Kufri, 58 mm, Mashobra, 52 mm, Dhaulakaun, 48.5 mm, Dharamshala, 47 mm, Solan, 44 mm, and Nahan got 39 mm.

The local Met Office has issued 'orange' warning indicating 'heavy to 'very heavy' rain, thunderstorm, and lightning at isolated places on June 25 and 26 and 'yellow' warning indicating thunderstorm and lightning on June 27 and 28.

Officials from the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited said water supply will be hit the next few days due to heavy silt load in the water sources and have requested the citizens to use water judiciously.

Turbidity increases during the rainy season which can interfere with disinfection, allowing harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites to grow. Therefore, the general public has been asked to drink water after boiling it for 10 minutes to avoid jaundice, cholera and other gastrointestinal illnesses, they said.