Two people have died and at least 53 others are missing after cloudbursts at Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh this morning. The cloudburst caused massive devastation in the three districts. Many houses, schools, and hospitals have been damaged. Relief and rescue operations are underway. Authorities have ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in Kullu and Mandi.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who shared the casualty figures with the media, said officials had been instructed to make all necessary arrangements.
"NDRF, SDRF, DCs and officials are present at the spot. We have instructed the officials to make all arrangements. We have also sought help from the army. I appeal to people not to go near canals and rivers. The Air Force has been asked to be ready," he said.
Mr Sukhu said the situation is under control, but roads and infrastructure have been damaged, while Manali has lost connectivity.
A building housing a vegetable market collapsed on the Manikaran-Bhuntar road, showed videos.
In Summer Capital Shimla, at least 20 people were reported missing after a cloudburst near a hydroelectric power project at Samej Khad. A disaster response team was rushed to the spot and top officials, including Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and district police chief Sanjeev Gandhi, were on their way.
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh | 19 people are missing after a cloudburst in the Samej Khad of Rampur area in Shimla district. The SDRF team at the spot for the search and rescue operation
(Visual source – DPRO Shimla) pic.twitter.com/afz23ylf4P— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2024
Mr Kashyap said, "According to the information we received, about 20 people are missing from the area affected by the cloudburst."
The cloudburst has hit road connectivity in the area, so the rescue teams are trying to hike to the affected site.
Cloudbursts have taken place in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi too, about 125 km from Shimla. An order issued by Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan has said cloudbursts in Rajban village near Muhal Terang has led to road blockades and landslides.
"Under these circumstances, movement of staff, school and college children, and trainees may not be safe and should be restricted," the Deputy Commissioner said, announcing that all educational institutions and vocational training centres in Padhar subdivision must remain shut.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been closely monitoring the situation in Mandi and has asked top officials to ensure all possible assistance is provided to those affected, said sources.
Monsoon fury has also hit normal life in neighbouring Uttarakhand. Two people died and another was injured after a cloudburst at Jakhanyali in Tehri Garhwal district. The dead have been identified as Bhanu Prasad (50) and Anita Devi (45).
A spokesperson from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said that they received information about three people missing due to a cloudburst last night.
"During the search, SDRF recovered two bodies and found an injured person in a 200-metre-deep ditch. He was brought out on a stretcher," the spokesperson said, according to an ANI report.
In Haridwar, two children died and nine others were injured when the roof of a dilapidated house collapsed after heavy rainfall, said an official.
The dead were identified as Aas Mohammed (10) and Nagma (8). District Magistrate Dhiraj Singh Garbyal told ANI that three people among the injured are in a critical condition. "The remaining are also hospitalised but are out of danger. This old house was in a dilapidated state, and heavy rain caused it to collapse," he said.
