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The police on Saturday evacuated people living by the riverside, as flash floods hit Solang valley here, reportedly killing one person. The Deputy Commissioner of Manali, Amitabh Awasthi, informed on Saturday that two bridges, one at Dhundi and the other at Palchan, along with 15-18 metres of road near Palchan connecting Manali to Rohtang were washed away. “At around 9 at night yesterday, we were told that a flash flood has come near Dhundi, which is around 4-5 kilometres from Palchan, towards Rohtang. So, the first task for us was to immediately get the people of the area evacuated. So, throughout the night, our people and the police personnel kept on patrolling and we evicted more than 120 people. They are basically the labourers belonging to Border Roads Organisation,” Awasthi informed. Incessant rainfall, cloud bursts, landslides and swollen rivers are causing havoc, as many vehicles were left stranded on the Manali-Rohtang Pass. A government school, an under construction hydropower project and many electricity poles were washed away in the floods. Awasthi said an advisory has been issued to people to avoid collecting wood near the river and avoid fishing. “When we move towards Kullu from Manali, at around 3 kilometres, the road is badly damaged, but we have made it functional for the smaller vehicles. The bigger vehicles would go via the left bank and the smaller vehicles would operate through right bank. We have also issued advisory to the people, since last 48 hours, that once the water level rises, they should evacuate and we are enforcing it as well. We have asked the people to avoid collecting wood near the riverside and avoid fishing because it could be dangerous to their lives,” he added. Flash floods have led to the closing of Chandigarh-Manali National Highway and scenes of devastation are dotting the area. Local police along with the Border Road Organisation personnel and rescue teams have rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation and provide relief to the victims.

Flash flood plays havoc in Himachal Pradesh