Five people died and as many were injured in separate incidents as heavy rains lashed Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said.
Four people, including a girl, died in Kullu, while a man died in Kangra district as heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state Monday.
Schools have been directed to remain closed in Kangra, Kullu and Hamirpur districts on Tuesday as a precautionary measure, they said.
As the water level in rivers and streams increased following the incessant rain, a man was swept away by the swelling Nahad Khad (rivulet) in Kangra, the district administration said.
Tilak Raj, a resident of Luskwara village in Jawali tehsil, was swept away when he was crossing the rivulet Monday morning. His body was recovered in Wuhl Khad with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, the officials said.
The four people who lost their lives in Kullu include Rupa (18), Sultana (15) of Bajaoura, Mohit of Banjar, and Sarang (16) of Manikaran, Superintendent of Police (Kullu) Shalini Agnihotri said.
More From This Section
Newly wedded couple Dalip Singh (21) and his wife Rupa (18) sustained critical injuries in a landslide between Pinni and Tikker in the district, Agnihotri said, adding that the wife was declared brought dead at a regional hospital, whereas Dalip was undergoing treatment.
Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur visited several affected areas of Kullu and met the family members of the deceased to express his grief.
Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, he said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs.
Indian Air Force personnel rescued two people stranded at Hurla village near Kullu's Bajaoura by airlifting them using a helicopter, the minister said.
Thakur also honoured Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Vipul Goel and his team for rescuing 19 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district on Sunday.
Deputy Commissioner Yunus has sounded a "high alert" in Kullu district where initial loss of property in recent rains has been estimated at over Rs 20 crores.
All adventurous sport activities, including paragliding, have been banned in Kullu, district Tourism Development Officer BS Negi said.
Meanwhile, Kangra and Kullu deputy commissioners Sandeep Kumar and Yunus, respectively, have ordered closure of all government and private educational institutions for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, officials said.
Hamirpur DC Richa Verma has declared that all government and private schools and anganwaris of the district would remain closed Tuesday. However, colleges in the district would remain open.
Meanwhile, four members of a family, Mukesh, his wife Shikha, their son and daughter sustained injuries in Chamba district, Superintendent of Police Monica Bhutunguru said.
The Ravi river is flowing at a dangerous level, and people are being evacuated from low-lying areas since Sunday, she added.
People residing in low-lying areas, especially in Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts, are being evacuated, officials said.
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar has alerted officials and people residing in low-lying areas that water would be released from the Pandoh reservoir as per a message from his counterpart in Mandi.
The water level in the Pong Dam is running above the danger mark which has led to the Bhakra Beas Management Board decision to open the flood gate of the dam, an official said.
Issuing a flood warning, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said excess 49,000 cusecs water from the Beas Dam would be released on Tuesday at 3 pm. The water level of the dam already has reached 1,385.56 feet, he added.
The Himachal cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, reviewed the losses and rehabilitation and rescue operations being undertaken in the state.
A number of roads in various districts have been blocked due to landslides, and water and electricity supplies have been adversely affected in several areas, the officials added.
Most parts of Himachal Pradesh witnessed moderate to heavy rains on Monday too, Shimla MeT centre director Manmohan Singh said.
The weatherman further said that light to moderate rainfall would occur at scattered places over the mid and the low hills and at isolated places over the higher reaches of the state on September 25, and thereafter, the weather would almost be dry.