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Another body found in Mandi,drones continue search for missing
The deceased, whose body was recovered from Mandi’s Padhar, has been identified as 11-year-old Anamika
Rescue and relief operations in the state’s flood-hit districts have picked up pace and another body was recovered on the third day of searches. Bailey bridges, meanwhile, are being set up and drones have been pressed into service to trace over 40 people who remain missing two days after the disaster.
The deceased, whose body was recovered from Mandi’s Padhar, has been identified as 11-year-old Anamika.
Mandi police in a statement said, “Dead body of another missing person namely Anamika, age 11 years, has been recovered during the search and rescue operation being carried out at the cloudburst affected area in Rajban village near Terang, under the jurisdiction of Tikkan police post in Padhar police sub-division.”
Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan, however, confirmed that a total of six people have died in the incidents so far. “On the first day, three bodies were recovered, while on the second day, the bodies of two children were recovered,” he said.
Mandi additional district magistrate Madan Kumar and acting Padhar sub-divisional magistrate Bhavna Verma are monitoring the rescue and relief efforts being carried out by the NDRF, SDRF, police, fire department and home guards.
“The entire administration has been engaged in the relief and rescue operation since the first day and all possible assistance is being given to the affected. Ration, medical kits and tarpaulins have been given to the affected families,” the officials said.
Search operations continued at Samej in Rampur sub-division of Shimla district, where drones were deployed to search for those who went missing after Wednesday night’s flash flood.
Notably, superintendent of police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi had earlier on Friday said that the searches were being carried out 100-km radius but accessing some areas was difficult.
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans also recovered people’s properties from their houses at Samej, with head constable Rajesh Kumar saying, “We are recovering properties stuck in houses following the tragedy that occurred here two days ago.”
Three bailey bridges
to be set up in Bagipul
Teams of the public works department (PWD) carried three bailey bridges from Shimla and Dharamshala to Bagipul in Nirmand, Kullu district, which had faced devastation after a cloudburst in the area.
PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh, who was in Bagipul to take stock of the situation, said the damaged roads in the area shall be restored in the next five days.
“We stand with them in every difficulty of Himachal… We are standing with them in every happiness and sorrow of the state,” he later wrote in a post on ‘X’.
Meanwhile, a landslide triggered by incessant rain also cut off Bandrol village from Kullu.
Former CM and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur visited the flood-affected areas of Kullu district. He met with the families affected by the breach at the Malana hydel project in Sainj, Baladhi and Chauhaki villages.
“The entire machinery of the Centre and the state is involved in the relief work. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and army personnel, along with other relief and rescue teams, are working tirelessly on the ground, he said, assuring people of full assistance.
Chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who had on Friday announced assistance for the victims, including immediate financial aid of ₹50,000 per family.
The CM on Saturday took to ‘X’, assuring that all efforts were being made to ensure assistance is provided to the families affected by the disaster, writing, “Every person affected by the disaster is a member of my family. This is a time of crisis for the state and our Himachal family. In this hour of crisis, the state government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of the state.”
