NEW DELHI (August 14): Landslides triggered by heavy rains have caused the deaths of 20 people in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours, Bernama news agency reported.
All schools, educational institutions and main roads in the hilly state are reportedly shut on Tuesday, a precautionary measure.
Hundreds are stranded in different parts of the state, some tourists among them. Heavy rains have been forecast for the next few days.
Bernama reports that the New Delhi Television (NDTV) quoted state officials as saying that four members of a family were killed in a landslide in Kandaghat subdivision in Solan district.
The swollen Kaushalya river near Parwanoo swept away a boy, and eight people died in rain-related incidents in the district.
Landslides killed three people in Mandi district and hours of disrupted traffic clogged the Chandigarh-Shimla, Shimla-Nahan, Chamba-Pathankot and Mandi-Pathankot highways.
According to Bernama, a senior official said 923 roads were closed due to landslides, including six national highways and they were attempting to open the roads for traffic as soon as possible.
Baijnath town in Kangra district recorded a record 235 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, while Palampur town recorded 212 mm.
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