Noida 03 August 2024: At least 23 people have lost their lives in the Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh due to cloudbursts and landslides. In Uttarakhand, 15 fatalities have been reported, while Himachal Pradesh has seen eight deaths. Rescue operations are underway, with more rainfall expected in the coming days.
In Himachal Pradesh, drones have been deployed to reach areas cut off by landslides and debris. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has used Chinook and MI17 helicopters to rescue 800 pilgrims stranded on the Kedarnath trek route. If the weather improves, these pilgrims are expected to be evacuated today.
Update from Himachal Pradesh
Three bodies have been recovered, bringing the total death toll to eight. The cloudbursts caused flash floods in Kullu’s Nirmand, Sainj, and Malana areas, Mandi’s Padhar, and Shimla’s Rampur subdivision. Rescue teams are working to find 45 missing people.
According to the state emergency operation center, 103 houses have been damaged, along with six motorable bridges, 32 footbridges, shops, schools, and vehicles in the past 36 hours. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and an additional Rs 5,000 monthly for rent over the next three months, along with essential supplies.
The meteorological office in Shimla issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in ten districts of Himachal Pradesh until August 6. The weather department warned of potential landslides, flash floods, and damage to crops and property due to strong winds and waterlogging.
A total of 115 roads have been closed due to heavy rainfall, impacting 46 in Mandi, 38 in Kullu, 15 in Shimla, six each in Kangra and Sirmaur, three in Kinnaur, and one in Lahaul and Spiti. Additionally, 225 transformers and 111 water supply schemes have been affected. The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) has suspended bus services on 82 routes.
In a concerning development, eight school children are missing from Rampur Samej village in Himachal Pradesh, including seven girls and one boy, who are local residents and athletes.
Update from Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, 15 people have died due to cloudbursts in Kedarnath, Tehri, Chamoli, Dehradun, and Haridwar districts. So far, 7,234 pilgrims have been rescued from the Kedarnath route, with the yatra suspended due to a cloudburst.
Rescue operations in Kedarnath are set to resume today, aiming to evacuate over 800 stranded pilgrims once the weather conditions improve.