10 dead, 34 missing following flash floods in Mandi district in Himachal; Rs 371.42 crore property damaged
Meanwhile, at least 370 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Mandi, Chamba, and Hamirpur districts of the state, as authorities continue search operations for the missing and work to restore blocked routes.
The total damage to property in the hill state this monsoon season has so far been estimated at Rs 371.42 crore.
Two bodies were recovered in Siyanj, Gohar, and one each in Thunag, Dhar Jarol, and Pandeev Sheel areas. The identities of the deceased have not yet been disclosed. The cloudbursts were reported at four locations in Gohar, three in Karsog, two in Dharampur, and one in Thunag, Mandi.
As per the report from the Himachal Pradesh State Emergency Operations Centre, in the last thirty-two hours, the death toll has reached ten, all in Mandi district.
Five individuals are injured, 34 people are missing, and 11 remain stranded. A total of 370 people have been evacuated, 316 from Mandi district, 51 from Hamirpur, and three from Chamba.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
The Library That Drowned Three Futures: One Year Later, The Drainage Is Still Clogged — and So Is the System
New Delhi: The monsoon clouds gather over Delhi once again, but in the lanes of Old Rajendra Nagar, they carry more than just the promise of rain. They bring back memories of a tragedy that changed this bustling student hub — July 27, 2004, when three young civil services aspirants drowned in the basement library of Rau's IAS Circle coaching centre. Right in front of the building where the basement flooded last year, Rajesh Kumar Yadav runs his litti chokha stall. A year after the tragedy, he vividly recalls the event of that evening. "This whole lane was like a pond," he said, pointing to his stomach to indicate how high the water had risen. "There were some students in the basement library when the gate and the street's sloped layout caused rainwater to pool and flow into the basement. "Paani andar aya ekdum se, unhe bahar nikalne ka mauka hi nahi mila," Yadav recalled. He instinctively grabbed an empty pipe and pushed it into the basement, hoping his voice would carry. He and others also used the same pipe to pull out students but for the unfortunate three. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi When TOI visited the building recently, it found the pipes used to pump out water lying abandoned. The building has been put up for rent, and, according to the locals, just 15-20 days ago, a new entry gate was installed, eerily similar to the old one that broke open and unleashed the flood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo A hoarding announces that ex-Rau's faculty are opening a new coaching centre. Close by, another hoarding makes similar promises, and while it is again a new coaching centre, it claims being run by ex-Rau faculty. Recently erected brick walls now stand in an attempt to prevent rainwater from flowing into the basement again. The new drainage system laid in the area already shows signs of neglect. Trash-filled and clogged with construction debris, the drain in front of the building portends another monsoon disaster. The tragedy has reshaped Old Rajendra Nagar's daily rhythm. The closure of basement libraries has led to a dramatic increase in prices for the remaining study spaces. The basement libraries were popular because they were affordable, but their closure has given other operators an opportunity to exploit the tragedy. "For a corner seat in the library, the monthly charges are Rs 4000-5,00. Other seats cost something else," a 32-year-old student said. "We live in cramped rooms on rent so the only way to study is at a library." At Shree Ram photocopy stall, Srikant, 29, stands amid stacks of UPSC books and stationery, but the footfall has diminished. "Before the incident, around 150 students came here daily. Now, barely 30," he claimed. Prem and Lata, an elderly couple who runs grocery shop from their house, have a similar story. "After the tragedy, hardly any student stops by," said Lata. "Kisi maa baap ke bacche chale gaye. That day is unforgettable. " The couple's son Gautam has a different perspective on life after the event. "The so-called basement libraries may have shut down and children living in paying guest accommodations evacuated, but the construction of lower ground floor homes and shops is still permitted and they can also become death traps." Anxious parents across the country called their children back home, unwilling to risk their safety. Garima, 19, and Kashish, 19, of Bihar and Punjab, respectively, were living in a basement PG at the time of the incident. "We were evacuated like sheep the morning after, with police checking everything," Garima recalled. "We had to immediately change our PG." Students highlighted how the drowning deaths had fundamentally altered youngsters' approach to their preparation. The lanes that were once filled with students discussing strategies outside coaching centres now wear a deserted look. "Many students have opted for online classes and they have also decided to shift to Shadipur after what happened in Old Rajendra Nagar last year," revealed Sanket. The exodus to Shadipur represents more than just a change of address — it's a vote of no confidence in the safety and infrastructure of the old coaching hub. Parag, 21, of Rajasthan was present in the area on that fateful day. "The entire building of my coaching centre was shaking due to the nonstop rains. Lectures were going on when they suddenly shut everything and asked us to immediately leave the building. I later learned of the three deaths." The Central Bureau of Investigation filed the chargesheet on Sept 26, 2024, naming six individuals: Rau's IAS CEO Abhishek Gupta, coordinator Deshpal Singh and the four co-owners of the basement. On Feb 10, this year, a Delhi court granted bail to Gupta and Singh. With trial under way, for the families of Shreya Yadav of UP, Tanya Soni of Telangana and Nevin Delvin of Kerala, the wait for justice continues — a monsoon later. With inputs by Khushi Bhuta
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Who Will Fix This Mess? Speak Up
New Delhi: It has been 18 days since the stretch in front of Ghazipur mandi, connecting with Kaushambi Road near National Highway 9, became waterlogged and two full days since TOI spotlighted the civic crisis. Yet, the authorities remained unmoved. On Friday too, the road remained submerged in deep, putrid water—a dark blend of sewage and rain that slithered between buildings, buses and shops. Even the potholes went missing — not because they were fixed, but because they were obscured by the dirty water. The stretch forms a Y-shaped junction, with one arm leading to Kaushambi Road and the other to Ghazipur Road. Both the arms are now flooded, with the situation visibly worse on the Ghazipur side, where the depth, stench and stagnation made the road nearly unusable. But what greeted TOI on Friday was worse. Once brown and murky, the water now glowed a sinister green, as if the road itself was decomposing. Algae, sewage and garbage stewed under the weak sun. The stench of rotting food, drain water and waste material intensified in the time, but the civic machinery remained in deep slumber. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Delhi Development Authority owns the road, and sources said desilting was done but the sludge was left on the roadside. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like "대상포진" 사라져 진짜 감사해요,,, 카이스트 박사의 '이것." 면역력 Rg3의 비결 더 알아보기 Undo Then the rains came, and with them, the mess returned. "A DDA team did visit after the report, but only to add footprints to the filth. No repairs, no pumping, no cordoning. Just bureaucratic silence," a frustrated area resident moaned. Meanwhile, bikes stall mid-flood, cars inch forward, their number plates drowned, and schoolkids tiptoe across the waterlogged path, their shoes wrapped in plastic bags. The crisis hit local sellers too. Bitiya, a vegetable vendor who ran his busines at a corner of the carriageway, had to relocate because of water accumulation. "Earlier, I used to make Rs 1,200 a day. Now, it's not even Rs 500," she sighed. "Customers don't want to wade through dirty water to reach us. " Sonu, who visits the mandi daily from Malviya Nagar to buy stock, said, "Kuch na kuch toh kharaab ho hi jaata hai (Some mishap or the other is a certainty). We also can't load our carts fully because the collected water contaminates the vegetables." For residents, the worry now is not only the inconvenience, but also health. Several housing societies along the stretch rely on the Ganga pipeline that runs close to the waterlogged road. "We're scared of contaminated water seeping into the clean waterline. No one is talking about this, but it's a real threat," said a resident. "For many women, even everyday errands have become impossible. We can't walk to buy vegetables or fruits like we used to. We have to wait for someone to take us by car or just skip shopping altogether." Societies also fear structural damage with the water entering the basements. "There's seepage on the walls. And even if a JCB is at the ground for some time, cleaning the drain is like they are cleaning an ocean with a spoon." While the CNG fuel pump near the mandi has been forced to halt its operations, entry and exit routes to the main road are almost impossible to negotiate. Vilakshana Dawra, an area resident, said, "There is waterlogging right next to our building, and it keeps getting worse. The road leading to the CNG pump has been blocked for nearly a month. Earlier, people could at least access it, but it's now unusable due to the flooding. " While vendors take a hit and residents remain exhausted, the civic response seems nowhere in sight. TOI reached out to the area's MLA, BJP's OP Sharma. He said, "It's DDA's responsibility. We've approached them several times for the problem. Even mandi vendors are suffering. Strict action must be taken against those responsible, but there's been no progress." The municipal councillor, AAP's Rachna, said, "The drain here connects to a larger one in the IP Extension area. After receiving complaints about flooding, we immediately reached out to DDA. As per the updates, blockages were discovered at six spots and DDA is making efforts to clear them. Four have been cleared, but work on two are still pending. If the issue doesn't get resolved in the next few days, we'll have to take up the matter with DDA again. " TOI also sent queries to Union minister and MP Harsh Malhotra and DDA, but there was no response from them to the several attempts.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Rain damage to the tune of Rs 120 crore reported in Dharwad district
Pic: Farmers in Lakamapur village of Dharwad taluk resume sowing operation after rains gives a respite. (TOI) Dharwad: Dharwad district administration has submitted a request for Rs 60 crore under the Natural Disaster Management Fund to repair the public infrastructure that has been damaged due to heavy rains and flood. Of this, the govt has released Rs 10 crore so far. The district witnessed intense rainfall during the last week of May and the first half of June. While the showers have brought much-needed relief to the farmers and jump-started agricultural activities, they have also caused widespread damage to public infrastructure. Roads, bridges, cross-drainage structures, tanks, school buildings and anganwadi centres have been damaged across various taluks. Despite the district administration initiating emergency repair works under the disaster management authority, officials express concern over the lack of sufficient funds to carry out full-scale restoration efforts. According to rainfall data, the district has received over 240% excess rainfall in the past one month. Notably, the semi-arid regions of the district have received more rain than the wetter Malnad areas. Kundgol, Navalgund, Dharwad, and Hubballi taluks have reported the highest levels of damage. Initial estimates peg the total rain-related damage at around Rs 120 crore, excluding crop losses. District minister Santosh Lad, in a recent review meeting, instructed officials to utilise available funds for immediate repair works. However, officials say the district is currently facing a resource crunch. Kundgol MLA MR Patil noted that his constituency has seen extensive damage to roads, bridges, and drainage systems. "There are no funds for long-term solutions," he said, adding that officials are currently filling potholes with mud as a temporary fix. "If rains continue, the situation could worsen. The govt must release special grants immediately for repairing roads and bridges," he urged. As per the rain damage report by the PWD and revenue department, 262 km rural roads are damaged and the estimated repair cost is Rs 4 crore. Cross-drainage structures in 40 locations are damaged and the restoration cost will be around Rs 2.4 crore. As many as 11 tanks have breached in Navalgund taluk and the repair cost is Rs 1.1 crore. So far, 5 km of state highway, 12.7 km district roads and 22 minor bridges have been damaged and the combined repair cost for highways, roads, and bridges is Rs 58.1 crore. Around 63 km of urban roads have been affected, requiring Rs 33.6 crore for repairs. Education infrastructure has also taken a hit, with 260 classrooms in 70 govt schools and 47 anganwadi centres reporting significant damage due to the rains. Deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu stated that respective departments have been asked to submit detailed estimates for their respective damage assessments. "Once adequate funds are released, comprehensive restoration will begin. For now, we are prioritising emergency works using available resources," she said.
