M A I N   N E W S

8 feared dead in cloudburst
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, July 16 — At least eight persons were feared to have been washed away in a cloudburst at Bali village, about 40 km from Rampur, last night.

Heavy rain wreaked havoc in other parts of upper Shimla district causing extensive damage to apple orchards and property. Hundreds of apple trees were buried under landslides in Sungari Punnan. In Prem Nagar village of Kotkhai a school building, a panchayat ghar and two shops were damaged. Most of the rural roads linking the interior villages were blocked by landslides.

Mr P.C. Katoch, Deputy Commissioner, confirmed the death of two persons in the cloudburst at Bali. He said as the village was located in the interior details would be available only after the return of the relief and rescue team headed by the local SDM. The team had rushed to the spot this morning. He said the victims were forest labourers from Barot in Mandi district and had been engaged in forest felling work in the area.

With this the death toll due to heavy rain during the current season has reached 30. At least three incidents of cloudburst have been reported in the mountain ranges dividing Rohru and Kinnaur areas. Besides numerous landslides, which cut off several interior areas, two major bridges, one at Shoulding and the other at Mangladh, have been washed away.

However, Shimla-Kalka, Shimla-Kulu and Shimla- Dharamsala roads were open to vehicular traffic.

Reports of rain were also received from Dharamsala, Kulu, Sirmour, Solan and Mandi.

The extensive damage caused to roads in the apple belt is causing concern to apple growers who are preparing to harvest the fruit.

BATHINDA: The heavy rain which lashed the region today has worsened the flood situation in the city as it has hampered the draining-out operations in the low-lying areas.

Water has entered several houses in various localities of the town. Fire tenders were pressed into service to retrieve the belongings of people whose houses had been inundated.

The Bathinda-Goniana road which has been flooded has been closed for vehicular traffic.

Four channels — Behman Diwana, Bangi, Chaula and Killinihalsinghwala — have been breached and hundreds of acres of paddy and cotton crop submerged.

Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted, said the situation was being monitored and if there was no rain tonight, the water from all areas would be drained out by 10 a.m. on Monday.