Himachal Cloudburst: Death Toll Rises To 8, Army Builds Bridge To Connect Samej Village | Top Points

The rescue operations resumed on Saturday with the deploying of drones in a massive effort to trace about 45 people who are still missing following the flash floods triggered by three cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh’s three districts — Kullu, Mandi and Shimla — on Wednesday night.

According to the officials, the death toll in the tragic incidents have rose to eight, while over 60 homes have been destroyed in the hill state.

Himachal Pradesh braces for more rains:

The meteorological office in Himachal Pradesh on Friday issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning in isolated places in ten out districts of the state till August 6.

A total of 115 roads, including 46 in Mandi, 38 in Kullu and 15 in Shimla, are closed for traffic, as per the state emergency operation centre.

The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) has suspended bus services on 82 out of the total 3612 routes, said Managing Director of HRTC, Rohan Chand Thakur.

Meanwhile, light rains continued in parts of the state. Kasol recorded 33 mm of rain followed by 19 mm in Seobagh, 11 mm in Hamirpur, 10 mm in Manali, 7.2 mm in Nahan, 7 mm each in Nadaun and Bilaspur, 6 mm in Jubbarhatti, 3 mm each in Dharamshala, Solan and Keylong and 2 mm each in Mandi and Chamba on Friday.

People stranded, Rescue operations continues:

As many as 53 people are still missing in Shimla, Mandi and Kullu districts, after heavy rains left the rivers in a spate. Two bodies were found in Mandi’s Rajban village and one from Kullu’s Nirmand. With the recovery of three more bodies, the death toll has increased to eight.

Earlier, five bodies were found in Mandi’s Rajban village — two of them identified as Aman (9) and Aryan (8) — and one in Kullu’s Nirmand while mutilated parts of two people were recovered in Rampur.

Around 300 people stranded around Shrikhand Mahadev in Kullu were safe and about 25 tourists at Malana are being looked after well by the locals, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena said.

The personnel of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, State Disaster Response Force, police, and home guards are involved in rescue operations with the help of drones.

Samej Village washed away, Army continues HADR operation:

Amidst the cloudburst, an entire village was wiped out after the flash floods wreaked havoc in the hill state. Samej village of Shimla district was completely obliterated. In the midst of the catastrophe, Anita Devi, a resident of the village, shared her heart-wrenching story, highlighting the severity of the calamity.

“When we looked outside, the entire village had been washed away. We fled to the village’s Bhagwati Kali Mata temple and spent the entire night there. Only our house survived the devastation, but everything else was swept away before my eyes. Now, I don’t know who I should stay with,” her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke.

According to the Indian Army, the road to the incident site was blocked due to a land shift approx 2.5 kilometre short of the incident site. The troops moved on foot beyond the blockade. Army’s Engineer Task Force (ETF) repaired the road and made it operational on Friday. The bridge construction facilitated the move of rescue teams towards far bank of the river and rescue of civilians stranded on the far bank.

Additionally, a medical camp was established by the Army at the village and around 80-90 civilians were provided essential treatment and first aid. Food packets, medicines, and other essential commodities were also provided to the affected civilians.

Due to flash floods, the water in Samej Khud in Shimla district’s Rampur rose, leaving two people dead and over 30 missing, Shimla SP Gandhi had told PTI.

CM Sukhu announces relief package:

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who visited the cloudburst site along with Education Minister Rohit Thakur, to review the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and said they would be given Rs 5,000 monthly for rent for the next three months along with gas, food and other essential items.

“Each affected family will receive ₹50,000 as immediate assistance and ₹5,000 per month, for three months, for hiring rented accommodation,” he said. He further announced an additional financial assistance for rebuilding the houses.

Talking to reporters, Sukhu stated that the rescue of people is the state government’s priority and added 17-18 women and 8-9 children are among those missing.

While announcing the relief package for the disaster-hit victims, Sukhu said 115 houses, 23 cowsheds, 10 shops and three fish farms have perished in this disaster besides motorable, footbridges and vehicles in cloudburst since Wednesday night.

(With inputs from agencies)