• Massive floods in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts have caused massive devastation.
• 52 people are missing in all three districts, while three bodies have been recovered.
• The base camp of Shrikhand Yatra has been affected in Jaon and Nirmand of Kullu.
Shimla: Cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts have caused massive devastation, with around 52 people missing in all three districts. Three bodies have been recovered, while 35 people are missing in Shimla, nine in Mandi, and seven in Kullu. The base camp of Shrikhand Yatra has been affected in Jaon and Nirmand of Kullu. The administration has started relief and rescue operations on a large scale.
The maximum devastation has occurred in Jhakdi of Rampur area of Shimla district, where 36 people are still missing due to flood and landslide. Rescue teams have safely rescued two people trapped in the flood, while the bodies of two people have been recovered from the spot. 36 local people, including children and women, are still missing.
A cloudburst has caused massive destruction in Thaltu Khod of Drang assembly constituency of Mandi district, where nine people of three families are missing and a 75-year-old elderly woman has died. All schools and educational institutions in Padhar sub-division have been closed today, and one body has been recovered by the relief and rescue teams.
In Nirmand, two bridges collapsed due to the cloudburst, and eight to nine houses were washed away, leaving seven people missing. Relief and rescue teams are engaged in searching for the missing people. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is monitoring the relief and rescue operations, and the local administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue work smoothly. Officials have been instructed to be present in areas affected by continuous rain and provide information about the flood affected areas immediately.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has expressed deep grief over the loss of life and property due to cloudburst in various areas of Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla districts. He has also spoken to the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts and directed them to provide immediate relief. The Governor has also appealed to the people not to go near rivers and drains.