Shimla, Sept. 3 -- Five people were killed owing to rainfall-triggered landslides in the state as the landslides and flash floods led to blocking of 1,337 roads, including four national highways, on Tuesday. A woman died after she was buried in the debris of her house that collapsed following heavy rains in Samloh village of Solan district on Monday late night. The deceased was identified as Hemlata. However Her husband Heem Ram, four children and 85-year-old mother-in-law escaped with minor injuries. In another incident, a man and a woman were rescued from the rubble after their house caved in Dhalpur in Kullu following rains. However, the woman succumbed to injuries. About nine villages in Manali were cut after floods in Manalsu drain which also obstructed Manali-Leh route. In another incident, a mother and her daughter died as a landslide hit BBMB colony in Sundernagar in Mandi district on Tuesday evening. Apart from that one more body has been found from the BBMB colony. As per officials a landslide occurred on Tuesday evening at 7 pm in the Jangam Bagh BBMB Colony of Sundernagar. Two houses were hit in the incident, in which five people were trapped. Among them, 28-year-old Bharti and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter died. The father and son are still buried under the debris. In addition, another woman, Shanti Devi, is also trapped under the debris. The search operation is underway. While the hunt is on for a person who was buried as debris fell on the the car he was sitting in. "The teams of national and state disaster response force and police are carrying out the rescue operations, Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Apporv Devgan, said. A landslide behind the Paddal Gurdwara area in Mandi town damaged two houses on Monday night. However, no casualties were reported as the residents were evacuated on time. The two affected families have been shifted to safer places and the occupants of adjacent houses which have been endangered have vacated houses, officials said. An under-construction house was damaged following a landslide in the Anni area of Kullu district. No casualty was reported as the house had been announced endangered during the 2023 monsoon disaster and was vacated. As many as 16 families have been asked to vacate their houses after cracks were developed in Dadwal village in Naina Devi area of Bilspaur district. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said that NH 3 (Mandi-Dharampur road), NH 305 (Aut-Sainj), NH 5 (Old Hindustan-Tibet road) and NH 707 (Hatkoti to Poanta) are blocked owing to landslides at multiple locations. The situation is worse in interior areas where the link roads have been blocked for several days and apple producers are unable to send their produce to markets. On Monday, trains plying on the Shimla-Kalka track were cancelled following landslips. The service will remain suspended till September 5. The Met Office has issued an orange alert of heavy rains in isolated areas of four districts of Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kinnaur on Wednesday and yellow alert of heavy rains in Una and Bilaspur districts. The document verification of shortlisted candidates for the post of constable to be held from September 4 to 9 has been postponed in view of roads blocked due to heavy rains. Now the verification will be held from September 24 to 29, a statement issued by the police here said. Since the onset of monsoon on June 20, the state has witnessed 95 flash floods, 45 cloudbursts and 121 major landslides. Since June this year, disasters in the state have claimed 340 lives, including 182 deaths due to rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, and other weather-triggered mishaps, and 158 in road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). From June 20 to September 2, the state recorded extensive damage to public and private property worth Rs.3,52,537.58 lakh, the SDMA said in its cumulative damage report. As many as 2180 power transformers and 777 water supply schemes were disrupted across, the SEOC said. Efforts are on to evacuate about 5,000 Manimahesh pilgrims stuck in Chamba district, the officials said. So far, 16 pilgrims have died since the yatra started on August 15.Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said that stranded devotees participating in the Manimahesh Yatra in Chamba district will be rescued with the help of helicopters.Speaking to mediapersons, Sukhu said the district administration has been directed to make all necessary arrangements for the air evacuation of pilgrims affected by adverse weather and road disruptions. "I have instructed the Deputy Commissioner to arrange for the stranded devotees to be airlifted. The Disaster Management Act has been enforced in the state. As per requirements, all necessary facilities will be provided to those affected," the Chief Minister said. Sukhu added that with the situation heavily dependent on the weather, the state was hoping for clear skies to expedite rescue and relief work. Officials said that continuous rain and landslides have cut off access routes to high-altitude pilgrimage sites, leaving many devotees awaiting rescue....