Rescue teams resumed their search efforts in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, marking the second day of operations to locate 49 individuals missing after severe cloudbursts and heavy rains triggered massive landslides and flash floods.
The relentless rainfall has caused extensive damage, sweeping away 6 bridges, 20 houses, and 6 shops, and resulting in 4 confirmed deaths.
The situation remains dire, with hopes for the missing diminishing as the disaster stretches beyond 36 hours.
The Shimla district bore the brunt of the calamity, where a devastating flash flood obliterated 33 people and 20 houses in Samej village, located near a hydropower project in Jhakri, Rampur tehsil.
The border village with Kullu district lies in ruins.
As per IANS, State government spokespersons revealed that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is likely to visit the affected Rampur area by road to assess the damage, as adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from flying on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s decision to travel by road comes after attempts to use air travel were thwarted.
Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, overseeing the rescue operations, reported that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Home Guard are actively taking care of the situation.
Rescuers however trekked for two challenging hours to reach the ravaged village after the link road washed out.
The destruction also extended to a multi-storey primary health centre and a primary school, both of which were destroyed by the floods.
According to the state disaster management authority, the impact of the heavy rains has also affected Kullu and Mandi districts.
This incident marks the second major cloudburst catastrophe in Himachal Pradesh within a year.
Rescue Teams Save 22 Stranded At Malana Dam Site In Kullu As Water Levels Recede
On Thursday, police, NDRF, fire and rescue personnel, and local volunteers managed to rescue 22 people stranded at the Malana dam site in Kullu district using rope equipment as water levels receded.
Another cloudburst hit Jaon village in Nirmand tehsil, Kullu, where 9 individuals remain missing and 1 has died.
A 14-member NDRF team commenced a rescue operation at Jari in Manikaran, Kullu, navigating a 10-kilometer trek due to roadblocks.
The floods have also severely affected Tikkar Thalu Kot village in Mandi district, which has reported three deaths.
In response to the escalating crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president J P Nadda have contacted Chief Minister Sukhu to discuss the situation.
Following a high-level meeting on Thursday, CM Sukhu announced the deployment of two additional NDRF battalions for ongoing relief and rescue operations.
The Indian Army and Air Force have gone on high alert to handle any further emergencies.
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