Himachal Cloudburst: Death toll rises to 13, 35 People Still Missing as Rescue Ops Underway

Shimla: At least 12 people lost their lives and 35 are still missing following flash floods caused by multiple cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh. Four bodies were recovered from Mandi and Shimla districts on Sunday, bringing the total death toll to 12.

The districts of Shimla, Manali, and Kullu were the hardest hit by multiple cloudbursts. Among the missing are 33 individuals from Samej village in the Rampur subdivision of Shimla District.

Rescue Operations and Alert

According to officials, a total of 410 rescuers from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, CISF, Himachal Pradesh Police, are involved in the search and rescue operations.

The local meteorological office has issued a yellow alert for heavy showers, thunderstorms, and lightning in isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh until August 8, Thursday.

Between June 27 and August 3, rain-related incidents have claimed 79 lives and caused damages worth ₹663 crore, according to officials.

Former CM Jairam Thakur's Visit to Affected Areas

"More than 40 individuals in Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla are still missing, and the chances of their survival are slim," said former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

Former CM Visited the cloudburst affected areas of Rampur in Shimla District on Sunday and took a dig at the government.  

19 Dead in Uttarakhand after Heavy Rainfall

At least 19 people have died in Uttarakhand, and over 50 are still missing after adverse weather events across Uttarakhand due to heavy rainfall and cloudbursts. More than 9,000 pilgrims were rescued from the severely damaged trekking route, while 1,000 pilgrims bound for Kedarnath are still waiting to be evacuated as rescue operations continue.

Local weather offices have predicted rainfall until Thursday, August 8.