Himachal cloudbursts: Rescuers, drones join search for 45 missing; 8 dead

Rescuers deployed drones in a massive effort to trace about 45 people still missing in flash floods in three Himachal Pradesh districts as the death toll rose to eight, officials said on Friday.

Two bodies were found in Mandi's Rajban village and one from Kullu's Nirmand after three cloudbursts in three districts -- Kullu, Mandi and Shimla -- on Wednesday night triggered the flash floods.

Around 300 people stranded around Shrikhand Mahadev in Kullu were safe and about 25 tourists at Malana are being looked after well by the locals, chief secretary Prabodh Saxena said.

In a virtual meeting with all the deputy commissioners, Saxena said immediate relief has been provided to the affected people.

Adequate men and machinery has also been deployed in the affected disaster-hit regions.

The DCs should ensure adequate ration, blankets, tarpaulin, stoves, etc are given to the families who had completely lost their belongings and homes in the havoc.

With the recovery of three more bodies today, the death toll due to the flash floods in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur subdivision has increased to eight.

Officials said that personnel of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, State Disaster Response Force, police, and home guards are still involved in rescue operations with the help of drones.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu along with education minister Rohit Thakur visited Samej, located on the border of Shimla and Kullu district, to take stock of the situation and talk to the victims.

Talking to reporters, Sukhu stated that the rescue of people is the state government's priority and added 17-18 women and 8-9 children are among those missing.

The chief minister announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and said they would be given Rs 5,000 monthly for rent for the next three months along with gas, food and other essential items.

He said that arrangements would be made for the schooling of children as several primary and secondary schools have been damaged.

While announcing a relief package for the disaster-hit victims after the monsoon season is over, Sukhu said 115 houses, 23 cowsheds, 10 shops and three fish farms have perished in this disaster besides motorable, footbridges and vehicles in cloudburst since Wednesday night.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri also met with families affected by the disaster in the Bagipul/Nirmand area of the Kullu district.

Describing the situation as "grim and painful", he assured that the administration is working diligently to provide relief to the affected.

Agnihotri also conducted an on-site assessment of the damage caused by the flash flood to the Kurpan Khad Water Supply Scheme at Baagi Pul in Kullu district and said the Rs 315-crore project has suffered extensive damage.

Over 30 people were missing in Rampur after a cloudburst near the Shrikhand Mahadev route on Wednesday night triggered flash floods in Sarpara, Ganvi and Kurban nallahs.

Due to flash floods, the water in Samej Khud in Shimla district's Rampur rose, leaving two people dead and over 30 missing, Shimla SP Gandhi had told PTI.

Till now, five bodies have been found in Mandi's Rajban village -- two of them identified as Aman (9) and Aryan (8) -- and one in Kullu's Nirmand while mutilated parts of two people were recovered in Rampur, he said.

Relatives of the missing persons are camping at the sites with hope fading with every passing hour.

"Bodies of my father-in-law and mother-in-law have been recovered but my son, my brother-in-law, his wife and their six-year-old son and two-month-old daughter are still missing," a wailing woman told PTI Videos.

"Fear of death kept us awake all night as we climbed to a mountain to stay safe," said another villager who came out after hearing screams to see houses swept in flash floods.

At the site of the Malana II power project in the Manikaran area of Kullu district, 33 stranded people were rescued on Thursday night and Friday morning by the teams of the NDRF and home guard, Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh said.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament in Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mandi Lok Sabha seat Kangana Ranaut expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the cloudburst incidents, and said the life of people in the tough terrain is difficult and such disasters are adding to their pain every year.

"The prime minister and home minister have assured that relief would be given to the state. I am also going to different ministries in New Delhi to get help for Himachal and will visit the state soon," she added.

Former Himachal chief minister and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Friday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the damage and loss of life and property in the disaster.

A total of 115 roads, including 46 in Mandi, 38 in Kullu and 15 in Shimla, are closed for traffic, as per the state emergency operation centre.

The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation has suspended bus services on 82 out of the total 3612 routes, said managing director of HRTC, Rohan Chand Thakur.