Union Home Minister Amit Shah held separate telephonic conversations with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday and took stock of the losses incurred in both states due to heavy rains. During the calls, the Home Minister assured them of all possible assistance from the central government.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Saturday as well as Sunday as the mercury dropped below normal limits in the two states. Incessant overnight rain turned many low-lying areas in Punjab into a horror story, with severe waterlogging and traffic snarls.
Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab, witnessed rain throughout the day on Sunday. For the second consecutive day, rains lashed Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Rupnagar and Patiala in Punjab.
In several places, water entered houses causing inconvenience to the people. A flood-like situation was seen in a private housing colony located in Punjab’s Dera Bassi, where boats and tractors were used to rescue locals stuck in their houses following the incessant rains.
Parvati River in Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh flooded due to excessive rainfall. A bridge also collapsed in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi due to incessant rainfall.
As rains continue to batter the state, the Himachal Pradesh government has declared a holiday for the next two days in all the government and private educational institutions.
Three persons of a family including a child were killed when their house collapsed amid a heavy downpour in Kumarsain Tehsil in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed profound sorrow over the tragic incident.
He said that the district administration has been directed to provide immediate relief to the affected family.
He further said that in view of the forecast of inclement weather, the state government has alerted concerned district administration for safety measures and to avoid going near the rivers and nallahs, besides remaining vigilant amidst the ongoing adverse conditions as per the warning issued by the Metrological Department.
Expressing concern over the rising water level in Beas and Parvati rivers in Mandi parliamentary constituency, Pratibha Singh has asked people to take full precautions.
Traffic movement from Kullu and Manali in Himachal Pradesh has been restricted due to falling stones at many places on the Kullu-Manali road and due to the increasing water level in the Beas River.