Torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh lead to car being swept away by overflowing river

Amidst heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, a shocking video has emerged online, capturing the moment a parked car was swept away by an overflowing river. The incident occurred as the Beas river swelled due to incessant rainfall in the region.

The viral video shows bystanders capturing the harrowing scene on their mobile phones, with one of them uttering the words, "Hum Chalein" (we go). The force of the rushing water carries the car away, leaving onlookers astonished.

In light of the ongoing heavy rains and subsequent slides and waterlogging, the Shimla-Kalka heritage rail track has suspended train services for the day. Authorities have taken this precautionary measure to ensure the safety of commuters in the rain-affected areas.

The meteorological department has issued a "red" alert for seven districts in Himachal Pradesh, warning of the likelihood of extremely heavy rainfall continuing on Sunday.

In response to the challenging weather conditions, the Kullu district administration has postponed the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra until July 11. Pilgrims have been advised against trekking in the rain for their safety.

In Solan district, landslides triggered by the heavy rains damaged six under-construction houses. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported, as the district administration promptly evacuated the affected laborers to safer locations.

Several districts, including Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, and Solan, have experienced landslides and flash floods, leading to road blockages and disruptions in transportation. The flooding of Teiling Nallah near the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang has led to the closure of the Manali-Leh national highway. Flash floods in Madrang Nallah and Kala Nallah in Udipur, Lahaul and Spiti district, have also resulted in road blockages.

In Lahaul and Spiti's Lahaul sub-division, commuters found themselves stranded approximately five kilometers from Gramphu as flash floods washed away a section of the road.

Incidents of landslides and rockfall have necessitated one-way traffic on certain stretches of the Shimla-Kalka national highway (NH-5), specifically the Kandaghat-Parwanoo segment.

The Meteorological Office has issued a statement indicating that under the influence of an active Western Disturbance, isolated areas in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, and Bilaspur districts are expected to receive intense spells of extremely heavy rainfall on July 9.