Shimla: Continued heavy rainfall has plunged Himachal Pradesh into a state of crisis, with cloudbursts, landslides, and road obstructions resulting in a tragic toll of over 60 lives lost. The relentless efforts to rescue injured individuals and extricate vehicles trapped beneath debris remain ongoing in both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings that isolated yet substantial rainfall is anticipated to persist over Himachal Pradesh for the next two days. Furthermore, Uttarakhand and northeastern regions of India are projected to experience heavy precipitation for the next 4-5 days.
The repercussions of this excessive rainfall are not confined to the mountainous areas alone. The Yamuna River’s water levels in Delhi surpassed the danger mark on Tuesday, marking the second instance of such an occurrence this year.
Pray for Himachal. Visuals are of today morning majorly at Mandi district. The rain is not stopping yet. It is continuous still in most parts. There has been huge loss of life , properties. Many Villages have been washed away in Himachal pic.twitter.com/b4hIyBjfDz
— Go Himachal (@GoHimachal_) August 14, 2023
Responding to the escalating situation, more than 800 individuals were successfully evacuated from Kangra, a region near the Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh. The evacuation was necessitated by a surge in the dam’s water level brought about by unceasing rainfall. Himachal’s Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, took to Twitter to inform the public, stating, “Over 800 people were evacuated from the low-lying areas of Kangra near the Pong Dam, as their villages became inaccessible due to the elevated water level in the dam reservoir. Evacuation operation is still on as more people are being evacuated.” The arduous process of ensuring the safety of affected residents continues.