Himachal Pradesh floods: CM Jairam Thakur conducts aerial survey of the affected region

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected region of Lahaul-Spiti district on Sunday. Jairam Thakur confirmed that the National Disaster Management team has reached the Lahaul-Spiti district to assist the people with rescue and relief operations. The torrid monsoon season caused tremendous damage to the region. Sudesh Kumar Mokhta is the State Disaster Management Authority Director and said, "So far, 211 people and 438 animals have died in incidents related to rain, cloudburst, and landslide in Himachal Pradesh during this monsoon season." Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has further announced that losses were worth around Rs 632 crores due to rain, cloudburst, landslides.

Earlier in July, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur made another aerial survey of the flood-affected area of Boh of Shahpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district. He also met the affected families of the area and directed the district Kangra administration to prioritise the relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas. According to official state data, a confirmed number of 221 tourists are still stranded in Lahaul-Spiti after a cloudburst that triggered a deadly landslide. Out of the reported 221 tourists, 191 of them are local residents of Himachal Pradesh. The remaining 30 are from Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Delhi, Odisha.

Earlier this week, torrid rainfall damaged six bridges at the Lahaul-Spiti, said the district of the region. The district administration has appealed to the Army and Border Road Organisation to assist them to restore the bridges. Later, the district administration informed that all the stranded tourists were relocated to safe places. Officials said that if the weather conditions remain good, the rescued people will be sent to Sissu Helipad in Lahul by helicopter on a priority basis. The official further added that they will be sent to Manali through the Atal Tunnel.

7 died, 3 missing after latest flooding

After another cloudburst in the Tozing Nullah district, the resulting flooding led to the death of seven people died and three are still missing. The floods in Tozing Nullah washed away two cars along with many tents of labourers. An earth-moving machine was also spotted being dragged by the force of water in Lahaul.

(With ANI inputs)