Himachal Pradesh: 31 killed in 51 cloudbursts, flash floods since onset of monsoon in June

At least 31 persons were killed and 33 others went missing in 51 events of cloudbursts and flash floods during the ongoing monsoon season between June 27 and August 16 in Himachal Pradesh, PTI reported on Sunday, quoting the State Emergency Operation Centre.

The monsoon season in the state began on June 27.

Twenty-two such incidents were reported in the Lahaul and Spiti district, the emergency centre said. It added that 11 incidents were seen in Kinnaur district, six in Una, three each in Kullu and Mandi, two in Sirmaur and one each in Chamba, Hamirpur, Shimla and Solan, according to PTI.

Three persons were killed in 35 landslides in the same period, said the emergency centre.

While Mandi district reported the highest number of landslides at nine, Kinnaur and Shimla reported six landslides each. Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba saw four such events each, Solan three, Kullu two and Bilaspur one. Data for other districts was not available.

Residents in several districts, however, alleged that the number of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in the state was much higher than the official count, reported PTI.

As many as 121 houses were completely or partially damaged due to such events, the news agency said, citing data from the emergency centre.

So far, the state...

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