23 dead in Uttarakhand, Himachal cloudbursts; 800 pilgrims still stranded
Cloudbursts in the Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have claimed the lives of 23 people. The death toll includes 15 fatalities in Uttarakhand and eight in Himachal Pradesh. Landslides triggered by the cloudbursts have also blocked key highways, including the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway. As more rainfall is predicted for these regions, rescue operations are being ramped up to deal with the crisis.
Rescue operations intensify amidst continued rainfall
Drones are being used to reach areas cut off by landslides and debris from the cloudbursts, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed Chinook and MI17 helicopters to evacuate approximately 800 pilgrims still stranded on the rain-ravaged trek route to Kedarnath. They are expected to be evacuted on Saturday if the weather conditions improve.
Cloudbursts trigger flash floods, damage infrastructure
The cloudbursts have triggered flash floods in several areas of Himachal Pradesh, including Nirmand, Sainj and Malana in Kullu, Padhar in Mandi, and Rampur subdivision in Shimla. The state's emergency operation center reported that 103 houses have been damaged along with six motorable bridges and 32 footbridges. Additionally, shops, schools and vehicles have also been affected over the past 36 hours. Rescuers are currently searching for 45 individuals who are reported missing.
Uttarakhand faces similar havoc, rescue operations ongoing
In Uttarakhand, the cloudbursts have resulted in 15 deaths across Kedarnath, Tehri, Chamoli, Dehradun and Haridwar districts. Over 7,234 pilgrims have been rescued from the route to Kedarnath with the help of IAF's Chinook and MI17 helicopters along with NDRF, SDRF and Uttarakhand Police officials. The weather office has issued a heavy rainfall alert for several districts in Uttarakhand. Over 300 roads have been blocked due to the cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides.
Relief measures announced, highways blocked
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has announced immediate relief of ₹50,000 for victims and a monthly rent of ₹5,000 for three months along with essential items like gas and food. The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway has been closed at three places due to landslides. Small vehicles have been redirected via Kataula and Gohar. Meanwhile, the meteorological office in Shimla issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh till August 6.
