Himachal Pradesh Floods: Rescuers Search For 34 Missing Amid Mandi Devastation

Rescuers are intensely searching for 34 people missing in Himachal Pradesh after deadly cloudbursts and landslides, primarily in Mandi district, caused widespread destruction and claimed 10 lives. Heavy rain is forecast to continue.

An HRTC bus stuck after being hit by debris following heavy rains, in Mandi district. (IANS)

Rescuers on Wednesday resumed the search operation in Himachal Pradesh on the second day to trace 34 people, who went missing after cloudbursts and heavy rain triggered massive landslides and flash floods. 

Sixteen cloudbursts and three flash floods on Tuesday in Mandi district washed away one bridge, 24 houses and one hydropower project, resulting in 10 deaths so far.

The death toll could rise as the survival of the missing people after more than 24 hours of disaster is getting dim.

The maximum damage was reported in the Mandi district.

In total, three people from Chamba district, 51 from Hamirpur district, and 316 from Mandi district have been rescued so far.

The state's Meteorological Department has predicted that heavy to very heavy rain is likely to continue across the state till July 7.

It has issued an orange warning of heavy rain for July 2 to 7.

A morning bulletin by the State Emergency Operation Centre said that due to the release of approximately 200,000 cusecs of water from the Pandoh Dam, there was a serious threat of inundation in the Pandoh Bazar area, with potential submergence of nearby residential houses.

Additionally, Jyuni Khad, a stream located in Mandi district, has been flowing above the danger mark.

On receiving this information, an immediate evacuation was initiated. The Patiakri hydropower project in Mandi has suffered heavy damage due to a flash flood, it said.

As per the Revenue Department, at least 406 roads in the state remain blocked, including 248 in Mandi, 55 in Kangra, 37 in Kullu, 32 in Shimla, 21 in Sirmaur, six in Chamba, four in Una, two in Solan and one each in Hamirpur and Kinnaur districts.

Also, 1,515 power distribution transformers, including 994 in Mandi district, and 171 water supply schemes have been disrupted in the state.