Flash floods and landslides due to cloudbursts and heavy rains have led to the closure of 114 roads in Himachal Pradesh, while the weather department on Saturday warned that heavy showers would continue in the state till August 7.
Flash floods triggered by a series of cloudbursts in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana; Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur subdivision on the night of July 31 killed at least eight people. After visiting Samej on Saturday, Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh said that around 50 deaths have take place due to the cloudburst.
The hunt for 45 people, who went missing after the cloudbursts, resumed on Saturday morning with 410 rescuers from teams of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, CISF, Himachal Pradesh Police and home guards involved in the hunt with the help of drones.
The weather department on Saturday warned that heavy showers would continue in the state till August 7.
Moderate to heavy showers continued to lash parts of the state, with Jogindernagar receiving the highest rainfall of 85 mm since Friday evening, followed by Gohar 80 mm, Shilaroo 76.4 mm, Poanta Sahib 67.2 mm, Palampur 57.2 mm, Dharamshala 56.2 mm and Chopal 52 mm.
The local weather office has issued a "yellow" alert for heavy rains till August 7.
Flash floods and landslides due to cloudbursts and heavy rains have led to the closure of 114 roads in Himachal Pradesh, while the weather department on Saturday warned that heavy showers would continue in the state till August 7.
Of the roads closed for vehicular traffic, 36 are in Mandi, 34 in Kullu, 27 in Shimla, eight in Lahaul and Spiti, seven in Kangra, and two in Kinnaur district, according to the state emergency operation centre.
The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation has suspended its bus services on 82 routes, an official said.
Rescuers are attempting to blast a boulder after they spotted a victim trapped under it in Rajban village in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district on Saturday where five people are still missing.
NDRF Commanding Officer Karam Singh told PTI, "A combined rescue operation is underway and efforts are afoot to search for the missing people. We are using various equipment and sensors to detect victims buried or trapped under the debris."
Singh's team along with others is engaged in searching for the missing people in Samej village on the border of Shimla and Kullu district.
Of the total, over 30 people are missing in Samej village, which falls under Rampur subdivision of Shimla district.
"The possibility of rescuing people alive is diminishing with each passing hour but we just hope that the bodies are recovered soon as delay would lead to decaying of bodies which would make identification difficult," said Pradhan of Gram Sarpara Mohan Lal Kaptiya.
Students of Government Senior Secondary School, Samej speaking to media on their school being washed away during cloudburst said, "Our school has been washed away and eight students are missing and we don't know where we will study and how will we participate in tournaments to be held in September."
"Eight girls from the school were members of the volleyball and badminton teams but three of them are not with us and I don't know how we will participate in the tournaments slated for September 15," said Aditi, a class X student.
"We used to play, study and spend time together but my friends Aruti and Arun are not with us," said shocked Ashwani Kumar, a class IX student, who fondly remembered his friends.
Another class IX student Aman expressed similar sentiments about Aruti and Arun.
Recalling the harrowing incident, physical education teacher Ravinder, whose room was just two minutes walk from the school, said, "I heard the deafening sound and rushed towards the school and rescued the Chowkidar Dhyan Chand and one student but could not save other eight students as gushing flood waters swallowed the school within no time."
"There are 72 students in the school and the eight students who were swept away were students of Class IX, X and Plus two and all of them were very good in studies and sports," he added.
Rain-related incidents have claimed 77 lives between June 27 and August 1 and caused losses amounting to Rs 655 crore, officials said.
Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh after visiting Samej on Saturday told ANI, "A cloudburst occurred 2-3 days back over the Shrikhand mountain top. Due to this, areas in Rampur and Kullu have faced massive destruction. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also visited the area. He too stock of the situation and briefed the officials. We have started setting up Bailey bridges at various locations. Police personnel are being deployed at various places. Administration is coordinating with everyone. NDRF, SDRF, State Police, Home Guard jawans are carrying out rescue operations together. The priority is to retrieve bodies..."
He added, "Besides this, Government is making all efforts to restore the connectivity in affected areas at the earliest. CM has also spoken to HM Amit Shah regarding this. We should get support from the Centre too, and we are demanding the same from the Government...As an immediate relief, CM has announced Rs 50,000 for all affected families. In the time to come, they will provided help for repair too..."
Singh stated, "It is being feared that around 50 deaths have taken place, but it can be officially confirmed as the operations continue..."
Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday visited the Sainj area in Kullu district and interacted with the affected families.
He said that some of the victims are still awaiting the relief fund and asked the administration to provide help at the earliest.
On Friday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who visited Samej village, announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and said they would be given Rs 5,000 monthly for rent for the next three months along with gas, food and other essential items.
He also said that 115 houses, 23 cowsheds, 10 shops and three fish farms have perished in this disaster besides motorable, footbridges and vehicles in cloudburst since Wednesday night.
Around 300 people stranded around Shrikhand Mahadev in Kullu and about 25 tourists at Malana were safe, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena had said on Friday.