25 houses, 2 bridges damaged after cloudburst in Himachal's Kinnaur

At least 25 houses, two bridges, and a few other properties were damaged in heavy rains and hailstorm in several villages in Kinnaur district here on Tuesday, authorities said.

According to the Kinnaur District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), heavy rains, hailstorm, and cloud burst were reported from Pooh upstream such as Leo, Nako, Maling, Kaa, Chango, Yangthang, and Shalakhar.

Due to the cloud burst, water level in drains increased and created a situation of flood, closing down all connectivity roads, state disaster management director Sudesh Mokhta said.

At least 20 houses, four public toilets, eight cowsheds, and four irrigation kuhals (small canals) in Shalkhar village were damaged, he said.

In Chango village, two houses, four gharats, two cowsheds, three irrigation canals, one pedestrian bridge, and one PWD department bridge were damaged, Mokhta said.

Three houses and two cowsheds were destroyed in Leo village, he said.

Preliminary estimates say properties worth Rs 1.5 crore were wasted consisting of a loss of public property worth at least Rs 90 lakh, and of private properties worth Rs 15 lakh, the official added.