Himachal flash floods: Death toll rises to 5, 6 still missing as NDRF continues search; worker found alive near Dharamshala
National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) recovered three bodies near Dharamshala in Kangra district, taking the death toll to five.
NDRF also found a missing person alive near Dharamshala during the day. There was more clarity over the number of missing persons in Dharamshala as the situation settled down in the hill state. Instead of the previous 15-20 people, an official said eight persons had gone missing from the hydel project near Dharamshala. Of them, while five have been found dead. In all, six persons are still missing — three each in Kullu and Kangra.
In Sainj valley of Kullu, where three persons went missing in a flash flood on Wednesday, search operations are still on and no one has been found, confirmed an official.
The deceased have been identified as Chain Singh, a resident of Doda in Jammu and Kashmir; Aditya Thakur, a resident of Chamba; Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh; and Chandan, also a resident of Uttar Pradesh. The fifth victim, whose body was recovered on Thursday evening, is yet to be identified.
Lovely, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, who ran into the nearby forest to save himself, was found alive. Three labourers are still missing.
There were around 270 people, mostly labourers, in a temporary settlement set up by the management of Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Project when the flash flood struck on Wednesday. According to Kangra deputy commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, the administration evacuated majority of them on Wednesday evening.
"A total of eight people were washed away in the flash flood, and one other ran into the nearby forests when the water hit the project site.
Two bodies were recovered yesterday, and the NDRF has resumed the search operation for the missing people today. All the remaining labourers at the project site were evacuated immediately and taken to safer locations where all arrangements for their stay were made," said Bairwa.
A search operation by the NDRF was launched in Siund area of Sainj on Thursday for the three missing persons washed away in a flash flood in the Jeeva nullah on Wednesday. The missing persons include a 14-year-old girl, a 56-year-old woman, and a 64-year-old man.
Four cloudbursts and multiple flash floods struck various parts of Kullu on Wednesday, resulting in losses and roadblocks all over the district. The Meteorological Centre, Shimla, has issued a yellow alert, predicting heavy rains at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh on June 27 and 28.
Up to 60L loss in Kullu
Kullu deputy commissioner Torul S Ravish said initial estimates put the total loss at Rs 50 lakh to Rs 60 lakh in the district. "Losses are likely to go up as detailed estimates are awaited. We have provided immediate relief to affected people," said Ravish. She said 40-50 roads in the district were blocked on Wednesday, but most of them had now been restored, and no tourists were stranded anywhere in Kullu district.
"Around 40 tourists got stranded in Bakarthach area near Manali on Wednesday.
However, they had sufficient ration and were in a safe location. Due to connectivity issues, they remained stranded overnight but have all been rescued. Around 31 people, who were trekking from Hamta Pass to Chhatru, were also found safe yesterday," said the DC.
Stay alert and be available 24x7
In the wake of the inclement weather, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Thursday directed deputy commissioners to remain alert and available 24x7 for the public to efficiently deal with the unfolding situation. Sukhu was reviewing the situation with the respective district administrations virtually from Shimla. He asked the DCs to conduct relief and rehabilitation operations for affected individuals on a war footing.
He instructed them to identify the individuals or families, particularly migrant labourers, living close to the banks of the rivers, khads (rivulets), and nullahs and to relocate them to safer places.
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