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Rain relents In Himachal Pradesh, focus on rescuing 2,000 stranded tourists
The Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday stepped up efforts to rescue over 2,000 tourists stranded in various parts of the state.
The Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday stepped up efforts to rescue over 2,000 tourists stranded in various parts of the rain-battered state, as four more people were killed and the overall toll in rain-related incidents this monsoon season increased to 72.
Read here: Himachal: 81 persons rescued from Manimahesh, 28 from Kara in Kinnaur
According to officials aware of the matter, at least 300 people are stuck in Chandratal glacial lake in Lahaul and Spiti, one of the worst affected districts, and more than 2,000 in Kinnaur’s Sangla valley.
While the rainfall briefly reduced on Tuesday and Wednesday, it caused havoc in several parts of the state for three days since Friday. On Wednesday, light to heavy rains lashed few parts of the state with Dhaula Kuan recording rainfall of 144.5 mm, Renuka 87 mm, Reckongpeo 42 mm, Kotkhai 30 mm, Hamirpur 16.5 mm, Shimla 13.5, Dharamshala 13 mm and Kalpa 10 mm.
The local MeT office has issued a yellow alert and predicted heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning for the upcoming weekend, and a wet spell till July 18. A yellow alert signifies that people need to stay updated about the severe weather.
According to state government officials, more than 5,000 people have been rescued since Friday. A total of 873 roads remained blocked, including National Highway (NH) 21, which connects Mandi to Kullu, and NH 505 which connects Gramphu to Locar in Lahaul and Spiti.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the evacuation of stranded tourists in Chandratal was a “challenging task”. “We have sent a minister and chief parliament secretary Sanjay Avasthi to Chandratal to take stock of the situation,” Sukhu, who conducted an aerial survey of Losar and Chandratal areas, told reporters.
The chief minister said that state minister Jagat Singh Negi from Tribal Kinnaur district, who is acquainted with the harsh topography and tribal calamities, along with Avasthi will assist the rescue efforts in Chandertal. “They would reach Chandertal by Wednesday night,” he said.
Read here: Sukhvinder Sukhu conducts aerial survey of HP’s Chandertal
Later in the day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said seven trekkers were rescued from near Chandratal lake. “In a daring rescue operation, braving marginal weather and near white-out conditions, an #IAF helicopter rescued seven trekkers from near the Chandratal glacial lake. #HarKaamDeshKeNaam,” IAF tweeted, sharing a photograph of the rescue work.
Sukhu also said that more than 2,000 people were evacuated from Kasol area of Kullu district.
“One porcelain and two machines have been deployed round the clock to clear the Kasol hunter road. A team of district administration officials has reached Kasol to oversee the situation,” he said.
In Chamba district, officials said that at least 81 people, mostly tourists, were rescued from Manimahesh in Bharmour tehsil.
Kinnaur deputy commissioner Torul Ravish said they received information about 28 people being stranded in Kara region of Bhawa Valley. “Prompt action was taken thereafter as rescue teams comprising the police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Home Guards were immediately dispatched to the area,” he said.
The state police have set up a war room for families seeking information on those stranded. “So far we have been able to contact more than 1,100 families,” additional director general of police( law and order) Abhishek Trivedi said.
He added that communication networks are yet to be restored in many parts of the state. “We are finding it difficult to trace the missing persons,” he said.
Officials said four people drowned after their vehicle plunged into the Sutlej river in Rampur Bushar. The vehicle and the bodies are yet to be recovered, they said.
With the latest fatalities, the overall toll in rain-related incidents rose to 72. State government officials said that of the 72, 40 deaths were reported since July 1 when the rains intensified.
Officiating director general of police Satwant Atwan Trivedi said people stranded between Kullu and Manali are being provided food.
Trivedi also said that 13 bodies were found in the rivulets in Kullu alone.
“There is no exact count of the number of people stranded across the state but all efforts are being made to look into it. We have requisitioned one more chopper from the air force to airlift the sick tourists,” DC Rana, director of state disaster management authority, said.
Read here: Himachal saw 436% excess rains from July 7-11: IMD
Meanwhile, Una deputy commissioner Raghav Sharma said that an additional 16,000 cusecs of water will be released from Bhakra Dam into the Sutlej River on Thursday as the water level in the dam has increased. The state government has been advising the people to stay away from river bodies which are in spate.
The chief minister announced a financial aid of ₹25,000 each for those seeking shelter in relief camps and ₹1 lakh each for those who suffered significant property losses in Pandoh.
