CHANDIGARH:With the recovery of three more bodies, the death toll in the three flash floods triggered by fourteen cloudbursts has now touched fourteen, and 31 people are still missing in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
Meanwhile, approximately 406 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Mandi, Chamba, and Hamirpur districts as authorities work to trace the missing and restore blocked routes.
The total damage to property in the hill state over the past 12 days has been estimated at Rs 407.02 crore, following torrential rains that have wreaked havoc since the onset of the monsoon season.
According to data from the State Emergency Operation Centre, fourteen cloudbursts and three flash floods occurred in different parts of Mandi district. All fourteen deaths were reported from Mandi, while five people are injured, 31 are missing, and 406 have been evacuated — including 198 in Mandi and another 100 to 150 from Pandoh market due to rising water levels in the Beas river, 51 from Hamirpur district, and three from Chamba district.
Additionally, 164 animals have died, one hydroelectricity project has been damaged, and 154 houses, 106 cow sheds, fourteen bridges, and thirty-one vehicles have been damaged.
Across the state, 246 roads remain closed - including 145 in Mandi, 36 in Kullu, 22 in Shimla, 25 in Sirmaur, two in Chamba, twelve in Kangra, three in Una, and one in Solan district. Moreover, 404 electricity transformers and 784 water supply schemes have been disrupted.
Sources said two bodies were recovered on Thursday morning. In total, seven bodies were recovered from Gohar, five from Thunag, and one from Karsog subdivisions of Mandi district. The Manali-Keylong road was blocked following floods in a drain near Solang Nallah, and traffic has been diverted through Rohtang Pass.
Two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with police and home guards, are actively engaged in search and rescue operations in the district.
Both Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur visited the affected areas on Wednesday. Sukhu assured locals that if any government land is available nearby, it will be allotted to those who lost their homes.
“In case the land falls under forests, the matter will be taken up with the Union government,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday called CM Sukhu “insensitive”. Thakur alleged that he had been trying to contact Sukhu since morning regarding the ongoing crisis but received no response. “Even during such a serious disaster, the CM remains unreachable. His government has been completely exposed by its inaction and lack of preparedness,” alleged Thakur.
Responding to Sukhu’s recent remarks in Solan that Thakur should visit his own assembly constituency instead of making political statements, Thakur said he does not need the CM’s advice. “He should instead focus on ensuring timely relief and rescue efforts in the disaster-affected areas of the state,” Thakur added.
Moderate to heavy rains, meanwhile, continued to lash parts of Himachal Pradesh. Pachhad in Sirmaur district received 133.3 mm rain since Wednesday evening, followed by Mehra Barsar 92 mm, Jubbarhatti 59.4 mm, Jatton Barrage 56.6 mm, Una 55.2 mm, Baijnath 55 mm, Brahmani 42.2 mm, Baggi 37.5 mm, Murari Devi 34.6 mm, and Kangra 32.6 mm.
The weather office has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rains in isolated areas across the state from July 5 to 9, and cautioned about low to moderate flash flood risks in parts of Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts over the next 24 hours.
