Himachal Pradesh : 3 missing after house collapses in Chamba; rain triggers flash flood, landslides

Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 20 : Three persons are missing after a house collapsed early Saturday morning during a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Chamba district of the state, officials said.
The incident took place around 4:30 am this morning at village Banet, in Chowari tehsil of the district, officials of the Chamba district emergency operation centre (DEOC) said. A search operation has been initiated with the help of personnel of the police and revenue department, according to DEOC officials.
Also, this morning a flash flood occurred in Mandi district of the state in the early hours, causing water to enter houses and shops, trapping residents and damaging vehicles parked on the road, officials said today.
The incident affected places at Balh, Sadar, Thunag, Mandi and Lamathach in the district., a bulletin by the Himachal Pradesh-State Emergency Response Support System.
Meanwhile, all schools both government and private including the Anganwadi Centres in Kullu district have been ordered to be closed throughout the district in view of the incessant rains, said Ashutosh Garg, Kullu Deputy Commissioner.
In view of incessant rains in Mandi for the past two days and the weather forecast of heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, it has been decided that all the government and private educational institutions except colleges and ITI in Mandi district shall remain closed on August 20, district deputy commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said in an order issued on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, on Friday a cloudburst and a landslide were reported in Mandi area of the state which has been witnessing incessant rainfall.
"We were intimated about a cloudburst situation from Segli in Mandi last night. By the time we reached, a huge landslide also occurred. The PWD is helping with opening up of the road and a team from the NDRF is moving to the spot to coordinate," said Mandi Deputy Commissioner, Arindam Chaudhary.
Heavy rains have been lashing the state and due to this roads in numerous areas have been blocked.
"Many areas of Mandi received rain overnight; we started receiving calls of roads getting blocked and other related concerns since 1:30 am. Many individual incidents were resolved. Police are on the job.The NDRF was contacted at around 2:30 am and their mobilisation has been done," the Mandi DC said.
The Deputy Commissioner said that with the heavy rains forecast for the next few days, police personnel have been deployed to take care of situations.
"All our teams are mobilised, SDMs are on the field. Our primary efforts will be to take care of individual incidents where people's lives are at stake. Second priority will be to open up all the blocked National Highways and later to mobilise all other roads," the Deputy Commissioner said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in isolated places today in Himachal Pradesh in the districts of Kangra, Chamba, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts.
Locals and tourists have been adivised to avoid going near the rivers and streams in bad weather.
The Himachal Pradesh's disaster management department has issued a warning for landslide due to heavy rains predicted in the state till August 25.