• Image Credit: Google

• Aug 1, 2024 | Guriya Khatun

Sukhu noted that while the situation is under control, infrastructure and roads have been severely impacted, and Manali has lost connectivity.

Digital Desk: Two people have died and at least 53 others are missing following cloudbursts in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh this morning. The cloudbursts caused extensive damage across the three districts, affecting numerous houses, schools, and hospitals. Relief and rescue operations are currently underway, and authorities have ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in Kullu and Mandi.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reported the casualties to the media and emphasized that officials have been directed to ensure all necessary arrangements are made.

"NDRF, SDRF, district commissioners, and other officials are on-site. We have also requested assistance from the army and advised people to stay away from canals and rivers. The Air Force is on standby," he said.

Sukhu noted that while the situation is under control, infrastructure and roads have been severely impacted, and Manali has lost connectivity. Videos showed a building housing a vegetable market collapsing on the Manikaran-Bhuntar road.

In Shimla, at least 20 people are reported missing after a cloudburst near a hydroelectric power project at Samej Khad. A disaster response team has been deployed, and senior officials, including Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and district police chief Sanjeev Gandhi, are en route. Kashyap stated, "We have received reports of approximately 20 people missing in the cloudburst-affected area."

Due to the damaged road connectivity, rescue teams are trekking to the affected areas. Mandi, located about 125 km from Shimla, also experienced cloudbursts. Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan reported road blockages and landslides in Rajban village near Muhal Terang. He has announced that all schools, colleges, and vocational training centers in the Padhar subdivision must remain closed for safety reasons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation in Mandi and has instructed top officials to provide all necessary assistance to those affected.

In neighboring Uttarakhand, the monsoon has also caused disruptions. Two people were killed and one injured due to a cloudburst in Jakhanyali, Tehri Garhwal district. The deceased have been identified as Bhanu Prasad (50) and Anita Devi (45). The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reported that they recovered two bodies and rescued an injured person from a 200-meter-deep ditch.

In Haridwar, two children died, and nine others were injured when the roof of a dilapidated house collapsed after heavy rainfall. The deceased are Aas Mohammed (10) and Nagma (8). District Magistrate Dhiraj Singh Garbyal confirmed that three of the injured are in critical condition, while the others are hospitalized but out of danger. He noted that the house, already in poor condition, collapsed due to the heavy rain.