SHIMLA, June 9 — The Chirgaon area of Rohru in Shimla district suffered widespread damage today when about 14 residential houses, 80 bighas of agricultural land and many roads and bridges were washed away due to a flood in the Pabbar river. In Kinnaur 30 houses in Barya village were buried under debris. But with the area cut off there were no details of casualties.

Reports said that a number of houses on both banks of the flooded Pabbar river were badly damaged. No report of loss of life has come in so far.

The flash flood this time is reported to be more severe than that of 1997, when over 100 lives were lost in the area. However, this time residents were more alert and got time to shift so safer places as the rise in flood waters was more gradual.

The loss of estimated over Rs 10 crore. Five foot bridges and over 1100 timber logs of a store of the forest corporation were washed away in the flood and electricity and phone links to the area snapped as many poles collapsed. A private factory and a windmill also suffered extensive damage.

The Shimla-Rohru road was badly damaged at three places in Patsari village near Hatkoti and the road between Rohru and Chirgaon washed away at Tikri, Gumma and Sandhasu.

Two persons were washed away in a flash-flood caused by a cloudburst in Kinnaur district yesterday. With this the number of death in yesterday’s freak rains has risen to three.

Two employees of a power project construction company were critically injured and have been admitted to hospital.

The Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur, Mr J.P. Singh, told TNS over the phone today that a chowkidar of the PWD went missing at Pangi nullah, while a Nepali labourer was washed away in Barua village.

Thirty houses were buried under debris in Barua but the area remains cut off and no details were available as the police post which housed wireless set was washed away.

He said the SDM, tehsildar and police personnel are camping in Barua village the worst affected by yesterday rain.

The entire tribal district of Kinnaur has been plunged into darkness since yesterday as a number of electric supply towers were also damaged.

Landslips at Dubling, Tinku nullah, Bhagat avalanche spot and Malling are expected to be completely cleared by the evening.

Light motor vehicles were plying through a bailey bridge constructed across Solding nullah. The newly built concrete bridge for heavy vehicles was completely washed away yesterday.

It may take some time before traffic is restored towards the Tibetan border as the bridge over Pangi nullah was also washed away.

Men of the Border Roads Organisation and the state PWD have started restoration works on a war footing. However, fresh landslips are continuing with shooting stones coming down in some stretches.

In a meeting of the Council of Ministers presided over by Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, the damages caused due to heavy rains in the state particularly in Kinnaur, Spiti and part of Shimla district was reviewed.

The cabinet expressed deep sympathies with the residents of Barua village for the loss of property and directed that immediate relief be provided to those affected.

Road communication from Jeori to Ralley has been restored and Jeori to Rampur via Gaura is open for vehicular traffic and road up to Shimla is clear.

Arrangements for transhipment of buses at Pangi nullah and at Ralley is being made. Sangla valley has also been opened for light vehicular traffic.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr Ajay Yadav, said around 65 tourists were stranded beyond Tapri.

Machinery and equipment worth about Rs one crore belonging to the CFJV, which was engaged in construction of a dam near Solding, was reportedly washed away in the flash flood.

The police post the residence of the SDO, PWD and a PWD store were washed away at Karcham.

The sky, which opened up in Kinnaur this morning, again turned cloudy later in the day the indicating more rain.

The Sangla-Karcham road has been washed away in floods. The Sangla-Chitkul link road was washed away in fresh floods in a nullah near Sangla bazar, the reports added.

Meanwhile the capital town of Shimla and mid hills were lashed by another spell of rain today, furthering bringing down temperatures in the region.

However, the Shimla-Kalka and Shimla-Manali roads were opened to vehicular traffic and trains were plying normally to and from the capital.

Rain-related incidents have claimed the lives of nine people in Himachal Pradesh so far according to UNI.

HAMIRPUR (FOC): All the ten persons who were trapped in the river Beas near Jangelberi village of Hamirpur district last evening were rescued today and returned to their respective villages. The rescue operation was completed this morning.

The villagers had gone to the river bank for work including collection of firewood, when water-levels in the river rose suddenly and they were trapped on little islets and rocks.

The official spokesman said local divers and boatsmen carried out the rescue operation today morning. Villagers, police personnel and home guard jawans had sat vigil by the river through the night as moral support for those trapped.