Death toll in rain-related incidents rises to 78 in Himachal, fresh cloudbursts in Mandi & Chamba
Meanwhile, fresh incidents of cloudbursts were reported in Mandi and Chamba districts, while four tourists from Punjab were killed at Rahaininalah in Kullu district.
Two more bodies were recovered from Nadun (Hamirpur) and Kangra, taking toll to 78.
Today at Kortang (Padhar, Mandi), a cloudburst washed away three small bridges and farmland, though no village damage was reported.
In Bagehi (Tisa, Chamba), another cloudburst swept away a gharat and a bridge. The road to Bagehi Garh remains blocked, affecting access to a PHC, a 20-bed AYUSH centre, and public utility shops.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mandi, Kangra, and Sirmaur, and an orange alert for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kullu, Shimla, and Solan. A flood advisory is active in five districts, including Mandi and Kangra.
Due to adverse weather, all four flights to Gaggal Airport—two from Delhi (SpiceJet and Indigo) and two from Chandigarh—were cancelled on Saturday.
Public utilities remain badly affected. As of Sunday evening, 243 roads were still blocked, with 183 closures in Mandi alone. 241 power transformers (DTRs) are non-functional, including 165 in Gohar and 16 in Karsog. Water supply remains disrupted in 278 schemes, with 267 failures in Sundernagar and 11 in Dharampur, primarily due to high silt and floodwater damage.
The cumulative loss is pegged at over Rs 566.87 crore, affecting 225 houses, 243 cowsheds, 14 bridges, 31 vehicles, and one hydroelectric project. Over 215 cattle and 10,000 poultry birds have died.
Thirteen relief camps remain active, sheltering 520 displaced people. More than 1,500 ration kits and tarpaulins have been distributed by NDRF, SDRF, and civil teams in isolated villages. The government has urged residents to avoid travel and remain indoors as heavy rains are forecast to continue in the coming days.
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Business Standard
9 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Himachal death toll rises to 80; 52 rain-related, 28 due to road accidents
The cumulative death toll due to heavy rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh has risen to 80, with 52 fatalities directly attributed to disasters such as landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts, while 28 deaths were due to other causes including road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The district of Mandi was the worst hit, accounting for 17 rain-related deaths, followed by Kangra with 11. The SDMA report, covering the period from June 20 to July 7, also recorded 28 deaths under "other causes" including electrocution, snake bites, and falls from steep terrain. Quoting from the report, an SDMA official said, "As per cumulative data compiled till July 7, the state has recorded 80 deaths--52 from rain-induced incidents, 28 from road accidents." Rain-related deaths included 14 due to cloudbursts, 8 in flash floods, 1 from landslides, and others from electrocution, drowning, and falls caused by weather events. In addition, the state has seen 128 people injured, 320 houses fully damaged, and 38 partially damaged, 10,254 livestock and poultry deaths and damage to public infrastructure worth Rs 69,265.60 lakh The SDMA also confirmed 23 flash floods and 19 cloudburst events so far this monsoon, along with 16 landslides, underscoring the scale of disruption across hill districts. Massive damage to crops, roads, bridges, and power infrastructure was reported, especially in Mandi, Kullu, Kangra, and Shimla. Relief camps have been set up, and rescue operations are ongoing with assistance from NDRF and SDRF teams. The SDMA has urged the public to stay alert and avoid vulnerable zones near rivers, steep slopes, and under-construction sites. The government continues to monitor the situation and is providing assistance to affected families.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Cloudbursts, flash floods in Himachal: Rescue operations on to find missing, IAF airlifts relief material
Search and rescue operations are underway with drones and sniffer dogs being used to trace 28 people who went missing after cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in the Thunag, Gohar and Karsog subdivisions of Mandi district last week, officials said on Monday. About 250 personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces, Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Home Guards, along with the administration and locals, are undertaking the search and rescue work. Besides, 20 teams are gathering information and distributing ration and medical kits in inaccessible areas, officials said. So far, 1,538 ration kits have been distributed to the affected people and immediate relief of Rs 12.44 lakh has been provided. An additional Rs 5 lakh each is being sent to the Thunag and Janjheli areas, they added. The Indian Air Force airlifted nearly 130 boxes of relief material to the remote and badly affected Janjehli region of Mandi on Monday. These consignments included 249 tarpaulins, 170 blankets, packets of powdered milk, biscuits, ready-to-eat food, spices, and other necessities. The air drops, coordinated by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), were critical in reaching villages cut off due to landslides and washed-away roads. Meanwhile, in Karsog sub-division, where the calamity has caused severe damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, SDM Gaurav Mahajan announced the launch of a special Sub-Division Disaster Relief Fund. Mahajan urged NGOs, philanthropists, and citizens to support those in distress. Contributions can be made to the account name: Sub-Division Disaster Relief Fund Karsog, with account number being — 50100605031091, and IFSC — HDFC0008106. According to information, 14 people were dead and 28 people are still missing from the various cloudbursts in Mandi. About 225 houses, seven shops, 243 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges and several roads were damaged in the disaster. A total of 215 cattle have perished, while 494 people have been rescued, as per the latest report. As many as 170 roads including one National Highway, 155 division electricity lines along with 158 water supply schemes were disrupted in Mandi. Till Sunday evening, 243 roads were closed in the state. Deputy Commissioner (DC) (Mandi) and DDMA Chairperson, Apoorv Devgan, visited the affected villages of Kuthah and Pandav Shila in Dharjaul Gram Panchayat on Monday. He assessed the situation, reviewed ongoing relief efforts, and assured residents that the administration is committed to reaching every affected family. He also convened a multi-departmental meeting in Janjehli to fine-tune the rehabilitation measures already underway. Alongside relief distribution, restoration of critical services has become the administration's top priority. The Jal Shakti Department has deployed nearly 2,000 personnel across Mandi to restore disrupted drinking water schemes. As of 7 July, 588 out of 790 affected schemes have been successfully revived. In the worst-hit Seraj Assembly segment, 132 out of 241 damaged water schemes have been temporarily restored. According to the district administration, 81 Gram Panchayats were impacted by water supply disruptions. Full supply has been restored in 15 panchayats, and partial restoration has been achieved in another 48. Work is ongoing in the remaining 18 panchayats, with hopes of resumption in the coming days. The DC lauded the cooperation of local villagers, many of whom voluntarily assisted the Jal Shakti teams by clearing debris and helping reconnect pipelines. Regular ground inspections are being conducted by departmental officers to monitor progress and ensure that clean drinking water is made available to every village as soon as possible. Efforts are also underway to restore electricity and road connectivity, which remain disrupted in many areas. 'The administration is working around the clock to normalise public life. We request the public to remain calm and cooperate. Relief will reach every affected person, and all essential services will be restored at the earliest,' Devgan said. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the disaster-affected Seraj Valley in Mandi to review the ongoing relief and restoration works following the recent devastating floods. He assured all possible assistance to the affected families and reaffirmed the government's commitment to restoring normalcy at the earliest. He said the natural calamity had caused widespread disruption and extensive damage to vital infrastructure, especially drinking water supply schemes. Nearly 241 water supply projects had been damaged in the region, including the largest scheme worth Rs 121 crore in the Seraj and Balichowki areas under the Jal Shakti department. The department has estimated losses exceeding Rs 100 crore in Seraj constituency alone. The Deputy Chief Minister said that senior officials had reached the remote and challenging areas to expedite the restoration work. So far, around 140 water schemes had been partially restored and work on the remaining was progressing on a war footing, Agnihotri added.
India Gazette
12 hours ago
- India Gazette
Himachal: CM Sukhu stresses urgent need to study rising incidents of cloudburst
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 7 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that disasters pose the biggest challenges for the future and combating the adverse effects of climate change is a 'pressing concern' for humanity. While presiding over the 9th meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, the Chief Minister expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of cloud bursts in the State and said that the matter had also been raised with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. The Chief Minister stated that over the past few days, Mandi district has recorded 123 per cent excess rainfall, causing widespread devastation in the district. In contrast, Shimla district has received 105 per cent excess rainfall. He said that recently, 19 cloud bursts have occurred, causing significant losses to human lives and properties. The present state government is making all-out efforts to rehabilitate and provide relief to the affected families. He said that unscientific muck dumping was leading to damage and stressed a scientific mechanism for its disposal to prevent further damage. Sukhu directed the SDMA to issue regular weather updates to the public and to counter misinformation circulating on social media. He said that SDMA was the sole authority to issue alerts and urged the people to rely only on the official information. He said that safe construction activities should be promoted, and people must construct their houses at least 100 meters away from the rivers and rivulets. The Chief Minister said that the State Government was strengthening the SDRF, and a new campus was being set up at Palampur in Kangra district. The State Institute of Disaster Management would be established at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla, while Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, would carry out research and development work. He also directed to conduct a study on high-risk glacial lakes and rope in the local community to raise awareness. He said that disasters have now become frequent phenomena, and in 2023, Himachal Pradesh suffered significant losses during the monsoon season, affecting thousands of people. He said that Rs 1260 crore were disbursed to the district administrations and various departments for carrying out relief and rehabilitation operations. An additional Rs 138 crore was also provided under the mitigation fund. The Chief Minister directed the government departments to set up their projects at least 100 meters away from the water streams to minimise the losses. He said that the Rs 891 crore disaster risk reduction project was being implemented under which strengthening of the HPSDMA and the DDMAs would be done along with fortifying disaster preparedness through an effective early warning system and supporting mitigation measures, which would be completed in March 2030. (ANI)
