New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu brought several stranded tourists from Sangla to Shimla in his helicopter on Thursday, news agency ANI reported. The tourists were stuck in the wake of heavy rainfall that triggered landslides and flash floods, blocking roads and damaging properties.
According to a report by news agency PTI, earlier in the day, rescue workers evacuated all 256 tourists who were stranded at Chandertal in Lahaul and Spiti for five days after the roads were blocked due to snowfall.
Terming the evacuation from Chandertal a "challenging task", CM Sukhu had tasked Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi to assist the rescue operations. On Wednesday, the chief minister had also conducted an aerial survey of Losar, Chandertal, Sirru and Manali.
According to the PTI report, over 250 people, mostly tourists, were stranded in Chandertal, while seven people who had fallen ill, including two elderly and a girl, were airlifted to Bhunter on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, CM Sukhu visited the flood-hit Thunag sub-division in Mandi and announced to provide Rs 1 lakh each to the affected families and land for the construction of houses which were swept away. He also directed to channelize the Thunag rivulet so as to avoid flooding.
The death toll rose to 91 as heavy rainfall battered Himachal Pradesh, throwing life out of gear in the hill state. As many as 14 persons are reported missing and the state has suffered losses to the tune of about Rs 4,000 crore, PTI quoted education minister Rohit Thakur as saying.
Light to heavy rains continued to lash several parts of the hill state, with Dhaulakaun in Sirmaur receiving the highest rainfall at 106 mm, followed by Solan (38 mm), Palampur (28 mm), Jubbarhatti (25 mm), Narkanada (24.5 mm) and Shimla (21 mm).
The MeT office has issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning from July 13 to 17 and predicted a wet spell till July 19, as per PTI.