Himachal Pradesh: Rain lashes Dharamshala city, rivers in spate

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 11 (ANI): Rain lashed Dharamshala city on Sunday as rivers are already in spate in Himachal Pradesh.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief and Union Minister JP Nadda is set to visit the flood-affected regions of Himachal Pradesh today.

His visit will focus on assessing the damage in Samej, a disaster-stricken area in Rampur, and interacting with the local residents impacted by the recent severe weather events.

Nadda’s visit comes amid ongoing relief and rescue operations in the state. Heavy rainfall and a series of cloudbursts have wreaked havoc across Himachal Pradesh, resulting in significant loss of life and property. The state’s disaster management efforts are currently addressing the aftermath of these incidents, with a particular emphasis on the areas most affected.

The Shimla Police has been continuing their search and retrieval operations in various locations, from the Samej village to the Sunni area on the bank of the Satluj river.

As per data from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 55 people have been missing since August 1, including 33 people from Samej and the Bagipul area of the Shimla and Kullu districts.

Additionally, 128 roads have been closed in the state, along with 44 electricity schemes and 67 water schemes which have been disrupted.

The recent heavy rainfall and flood situation in Himachal Pradesh has led to a devastating loss of Rs 900 crore to the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH), Public Works Department (PWD), and the state’s road infrastructure, a government release said on Friday.