As many as 13 people have been killed in three districts of Himachal Pradesh due to flash floods triggered by cloudbursts. The death toll increased after four bodies were recovered from Mandi and Shimla districts on Sunday. According to the India Meteorological Department, more rains are expected to batter the state adding to the woes of the people.
More than 40 people have gone missing after a series of cloudbursts occurred in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur subdivision on July 31.
Among the deceased were a three-month-old infant Manvi and a 23-year-old woman Sonam from Rajbhan village in the Padhar area of Mandi district, said the officials.
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Two more bodies were recovered later in the evening near Dhakoli on the banks of Satluj River in Rampur, Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI, adding that they are yet to be identified.
The search operation has been stepped up by the rescuers as more machinery, sniffer dog squad, drones and other equipment have been deployed.
As per the officials, 410 rescue personnel from teams of the Army National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Himachal Pradesh Police, and home guards are involved in the operations.
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The state, however, may not get respite from the rains as the India Meteorological Department has predicted more showers in the coming days.
As per IMD, heavy rainfall is expected to continue in Himachal Pradesh from August 4 to 10. On Monday, fairly widespread rainfall is likely to occur in the Himalayan state while widespread rainfall is predicted till August 10, as per the weather department.