Shimla (HP), Jul 22 (PTI) A boulder fell on a pickup truck amidst heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, injuring its driver and a passenger, officials said on Tuesday.
The incident took place on Monday near Kani Nullah (drain) on Luhri Jajar road while the two were en route to buy milk from dairy farmers. The injured, identified as Vikrant and Rajesh, were rushed to a hospital in Khaneri near Rampur.
Reports of floods in Khurik and Ranrik villages in Lahaul and Spiti district endangering houses have also poured in.
A total of 378 roads, including three national highways, were closed in the state due to rainfall on Tuesday evening. Of these, 254 are in the disaster-hit Mandi district.
According to the available information, the NH 70, Mandi-Kotli road, NH 505 (Khab to Gramphoo) in Lahaul and Spiti district and NH 707 (Hatkoti to Poanta Sahib) in Sirmaur district have been closed.
Additionally, over 300 power distribution transformers and 314 water supply schemes have been affected, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).
The water levels of rivers, streams and other water bodies have risen following heavy rains, and the administrative teams at the sub-divisional level are on full alert, said Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Singh said that the level of Beas River is rising due to continuous rains and water can be released from Larji Dam and Pandoh Dam at any time.
Moderate to heavy rain lashed several parts of the state. Amb has received 94.2 mm of rainfall since Monday evening, followed by Bharari (67.8 mm), Berthin (58.2 mm), Slapper (51 mm), Nadaun (48.5 mm), Jogindernagar (48 mm), Aghar (46.2 mm), Kasauli (44 mm), Dehra Gopipur (43 mm), Ghaghas (42.6 mm), Jubbarhatti (43mm), Murari Devi and Neri (42 mm each) and Malraon (41 mm), Bilaspur (40.7 mm), Narkanda (40 mm), Sundernagar (37.7 mm), Kufri (35.7 mm), Manali (32 mm), Shimla (31.9 mm).
Since the onset of the monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 22, at least 76 people have died and 34 have gone missing in rain-related incidents across the state.
The state has also experienced 40 flash floods, 23 cloudbursts and 25 landslides this monsoon season, resulting in losses of approximately Rs 1,247 crore, the SEOC said.