Shimla: Five members of a family, including a minor, were killed when the car they were travelling in fell into a gorge on National Highway 154A near Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, police said on Tuesday.
The police said prima facie the car fell into the gorge after the driver lost control of it owing to heavy rain. The family was returning home after the treatment of a less than one-year-old child at the PGI in Chandigarh when the accident occurred on Monday night. The victims comprised the child’s grandparents and parents.
The police said the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.
Superintendent of Police Vijay Saklani told the media that police and rescue teams were rushed to the spot after the incident was reported.
He said the rescue operation was carried out at night. Owing to heavy rain and the blockage of National Highway 154A near Banikhet, rescue teams had a tough time rescuing the victims.
With the help of local people and the administration, the rescue and relief work was completed.
Preliminary investigations suggest that heavy rain, dense fog, and slippery road conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident.
The driver lost control of the vehicle due to poor visibility, causing the car to plunge into a deep gorge. However, the exact cause of the accident will only be determined once the police investigation is complete.
Meanwhile, the Shimla-based Meteorological Centre has issued a flashflood warning for seven districts of Himachal Pradesh for the next 24 hours as incessant monsoon rain continued in the state, triggering landslides and disrupting traffic.
Its forecast said a low to moderate risk of flash floods remained over a few watersheds and neighbouring areas of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan districts.
People have been advised to avoid vulnerable areas, riverbanks, and other water bodies as a precaution.
Several parked vehicles were damaged by torrential overnight rains in and around Chamba town. Also, several residential areas were inundated with mud and debris, damaging houses and shops. National Highway 154A was also blocked after a landslide.
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