CHANDIGARH: Ten pilgrims have died, and eight are missing in the ongoing Manimahesh Yatra, which was suspended on Monday due to heavy rains, landslides, and flash floods.
Around 6,000 devotees stranded in the Bharmour region have been safely evacuated to Nurpur and Pathankot from Kalsuin. Meanwhile, Dharamsala and McLeodganj are facing a water crisis as the water level at the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark. The Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has also been blocked again due to landslides.
Sources report that seven rescue teams, comprising police personnel, home guards, volunteers, NCC cadets, local residents, and civil officers, have been deployed to aid in the rescue operations.
The devotees, who had trekked approximately 14 km from the district headquarters to reach Kalsuin, were then transported by 39 buses and 25 taxis to Chamba and Nurpur. Authorities have arranged additional buses to evacuate the remaining pilgrims, with 40 more buses requested.
To assist the evacuees, arrangements for food and shelter have been made in Chamba, with community kitchens (langars) set up in Kalsui, Dharwala, and Dakhog to provide meals to the stranded devotees.
Despite the debris being cleared from the Kalsui-Rakh road, heavy vehicles cannot pass, making the road unsuitable for large-scale movement.
Due to the heavy rains and subsequent flash floods, roads were washed away, and communication links were severed, leading to the deaths of ten devotees and leaving eight others missing en route to the Manimahesh Yatra.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey of the disaster-hit areas in Bharmour, Manimahesh, and other regions of Chamba district, as well as Fatehpur and Mand in Kangra district, following the excess water release from the Pong Dam. However, the adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from landing in Bharmour.
The Chief Minister held a meeting with district administration officials in Chamba and instructed them to expedite the relief and rescue operations in the affected areas. He also stressed the importance of ensuring adequate arrangements for food, water, shelter, and other essential amenities for those stranded. Sukhu visited Kalsuin to oversee the transportation arrangements and interacted with the devotees.
He said, "The buses have been arranged for the devotees at Kalsuin near Chamba from where they could board the same for going towards Nurpur and Pathankot."
He also directed officials to quickly restore the Salooni-Khundimaral road to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims, particularly those coming from Jammu's Kishtwar and Doda districts.
Sukhu added that the State Government’s pre-emptive measures had helped reduce the loss of lives compared to the devastation in 2023. However, the scale of destruction this year was far greater, with widespread damage to roads, electricity, water supply, and communication services.
“This year, the entire state has been hit by the destruction attributed to incessant rains, landslides, and cloud bursts. The rehabilitation is a challenge, but with the support of the people, we will overcome it courageously. It is our responsibility to rehabilitate the families who have been rendered homeless, lost all means of livelihood, and we will offer a special relief package to support them,” he said.
The Chief Minister acknowledged that the situation was being closely monitored by key government officials. “Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, and Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh are reviewing the situation on the ground,” Sukhu said, highlighting the humanitarian approach being adopted by the government.
He mentioned that, "Revenue Minister Negi has proceeded for Bharmour on foot from Chamba. This demonstrates that the present government has adopted a humanitarian approach and was sensitively dealing with the crisis.”
Regarding road restoration, Sukhu mentioned that heavy machinery, including JCBs and poclains, has been deployed in the district. However, the weather has posed significant challenges to the relief and restoration works.
“The evacuation of those stranded in Bharmour is also dependent on favourable weather conditions, although helicopters have been deployed for this purpose.”
The Chief Minister also called for a study to determine the underlying reasons for the frequent occurrence of cloud bursts in the state, citing global warming and climate change as major contributors. “We must dig deep to tackle this problem effectively and save valuable lives,” he stressed.
Before departing for Bharmour, Sukhu inquired about the relief and rehabilitation operations in Kangra district from the Deputy Commissioner, Hemraj Bairwa, following excess water release from Pong Dam.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark at 1,391.28 feet, slightly above the permissible limit of 1,390 feet. The inflow was recorded at 160,276 cusecs, and the outflow was 84,952 cusecs, of which 17,079 cusecs were released through turbines, and 67,873 cusecs through spillways.
At the MHC, the discharge stood at 11,500 cusecs, and 73,452 cusecs were released downstream at the Shah Nehar Barrage, with six machines operational at the dam.
The water shortage in Dharamsala and McLeodganj is also a growing concern, as several water supply schemes were disrupted due to heavy rainfall, which caused landslides and damaged pipelines.
The main supply line from the Naddi water treatment plant to Dharamsala was damaged due to land subsidence, affecting several distribution networks.
The Gajj Khadd scheme, one of the major sources of water for the city, has been non-functional for over a month, and both the Naddi-Bhatehad and Bhagsunag schemes were also disrupted, further affecting the water supply to large parts of the city.
Once again, the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has been blocked between Mandi and Kullu due to a massive landslide, just a day after it was reopened following a four-day closure.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed its workforce and heavy machinery to clear the blockage, but the disruption has left vehicles and tourists stranded.
A flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall was reported at Katwadhi village under the Nandi Panchayat of Gohar subdivision in Mandi district. The sudden surge of water in the Naseni Nallah caused significant damage to local infrastructure, although fortunately, no loss of human life has been reported.
As of this morning, 557 roads, including three national highways, remain closed for traffic. Of these, 213 are in Mandi district, 160 in Kullu, 28 in Shimla, 38 in Sirmaur, 60 in Kangra, 23 in Una, 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Solan, and 9 in Bilaspur district.
According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 936 power supply transformers and 223 water supply schemes have also been disrupted across the state.
In Shimla, two individuals, Hemant and Pyare Lal, were injured after their houses were damaged by landslides in Thala village in Rampur Subdivision. Both were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.