Rain hits normal life in Palampur

Our Correspondent

Palampur, July 28

Jaisinghpur, Baijnath and Palampur areas of Kangra districts experienced heavy rain this morning, paralyzing normal life in the region. Vehicular traffic, power supply and telecommunication services were hit.

Rivers, rivulets and streams in the region are in spate. Public property, roads, water supply and irrigation schemes suffered extensive damage. Many areas went without power supply after transmission lines were damaged.

Vehicular traffic on the Pathankot-Mandi highway remained suspended for six hours following landslides. A tree fell on the road near a government degree college, disrupting traffic. A number of areas remained without power in several parts of Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur following a snag in the transmission lines.

Vehicle traffic on internal roads also remained suspended for hours following heavy landslides and uprooting of trees and power supply poles.

Official sources said that roads of the Public Works Department (PWD) suffered extensive damage in Palampur, Jaisinghpur, Bhawarna and Baijnath divisions while the water supply schemes of the IPH Department were also damaged. Children in rural areas risked their lives by crossing flooded streams and rivers to go to schools, which reported a thin attendance.

SDM, Palampur, Amit Guleria said no loss of life had been reported from any part of the region. He added revenue officials had been asked to prepare reports of losses caused to public and private properties. He said the local administration had set up a control room in the SDM office to tackle exigencies arising because of heavy rain. Helpline phone numbers have also been released.

#Kangra #Palampur