NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are engaged in relief and rescue operations in rain-hit Himachal Pradesh and termed the loss of lives due to the deluge as "extremely distressing".
At least 29 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh, nine of them buried under the rubble of a temple after a landslip in Shimla, as rains wreaked havoc in the state, triggering landslides that blocked key roads and brought down houses, officials said on Monday.
"The loss of lives due to heavy rains and landslides at various places in Himachal Pradesh is extremely distressing. NDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations along with the local administration. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this sorrow. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said on X (formerly Twitter).
Incessant showers in Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours have triggered landslides, blocking several roads, including the Shimla-Chandigarh road which was closed for buses and trucks.
In view of the heavy rains, the Himachal Pradesh Government on Sunday informed that the Himachal Pradesh University has cancelled all the ongoing examinations of Post Graduate classes scheduled on August 14.
Chief Minister Sukhu has taken this decision in view of the safety of the students due to heavy rains. On the orders of the Chief Minister, the Education Secretary has issued a notification to keep all government, private schools and colleges closed on August 14.
The CM has instructed the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary as well as all district collectors to keep a close watch on the situation created due to heavy rains. The administrative staff should be alert and maintain smooth arrangements for roads, electricity and water, he said.