At least five people were killed and over 49 are still missing following several incidents of cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh where rescuers scrambled on Friday to search for survivors in the mountains. As per the state emergency operation centre, the cloudbursts took place in Nirmand, Sainj and Malana areas in Kullu, Padhar in Mandi and Rampur in Shimla districts, with rains washing away many houses, bridges and roads.
The state braces for more rain today amid concerns that the showers may hamper rescue work. The local Meteorological office has issued a red alert of heavy to extremely heavy rains along with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in three districts of Kangra, Kullu and Mandi.
Torrential rain has caused severe flooding leading to maximum damage in Shimla district, where a flash flood swept away 33 people and 20 houses in Samej village located near a hydropower project in Jhakri in Rampur tehsil, leaving the entire area ravaged.
Speaking on the cloudburst incident, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, " Rescue and relief operations are in full swing...I am going to visit the spot from where the most number of people are missing...if the sunlight comes out, the rescue operation can be carried out with much more speed...we can recover the bodies only when sunlight comes out...currently, around 49 people are missing...our current motive is to rescue the 4 trapped people and recover the bodies trapped under the debris...I request the tourists not to go near waterfalls and rivers."
As per a report by news agency IANS, Sukhu would be visiting the Rampur area by road to take stock of the damage caused by cloudburst. The CM could not fly to the disaster-hit areas on Thursday owing to bad weather.
According to the state’s disaster management authority, besides Shimla, the damage owing to downpours was also in Kullu and Mandi districts. This is the second massive devastation caused by cloudbursts in the Himalayan state in less than a year.
The police team along with the assistance of the NDRF, fire and rescue and locals on Thursday rescued 22 people stranded in the Malana dam site in Kullu district by using rope equipment as the water level receded. The dam was also damaged in the flash flood.
In Kullu, another cloudburst occurred at Jaon village in Nirmand tehsil where nine people are still missing and the rescue operation is underway. One died in the calamity. A team of the 14 NDRF started a rescue operation at Jari in Manikaran in Kullu after trekking due to a roadblock 10 km from the site. The Malana village is also cut off from Kullu due to a landslide.
Another calamity-hit is Tikkar Thalu Kot village in Padhar tehsil in Mandi district where three deaths were reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda called Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Thursday and inquired about the situation in the state.