With landslides still threatening villages and the ground sodden under days of heavy rain, the search for missing persons continued across flood-hit Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, as the death toll across the state climbed to 75.
The Meteorological Department in Shimla on Saturday issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next five days, citing intensified monsoon activity.
The hill state, ravaged by monsoon fury since late June, has reported a grim toll of 45 rain-related fatalities and 30 accidental deaths, including those due to road mishaps, electrocution and even a gas explosion, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC).
Mandi, one of the worst-affected districts, has become the centre of a multi-agency relief and rescue operation involving the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local authorities. Yet 31 people remain missing.
“The number of missing people is still 31. We have not found any missing persons. Special forces of around 250 State Disaster Relief Force-NDRF personnel are deployed. The whole administration is working 24*7,” said Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan.
Efforts to reach interior habitations continue to be hindered by the difficult topography of the region and the continuing threat of further rain and landslides. “The relief work is challenging because of the geography. We are trying to reach habitations... this is just the beginning of monsoons. It is about to rain for the next three months. For us, the extra challenge is that we have to conduct the relief, rehabilitation and restoration programme during the monsoons,” Devgan added.
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Emergency teams are delivering supplies on foot and using mules in areas where roads remain impassable. “The main road of Thunag has been made motorable today. A few supply vehicles have also been placed there. Supplies have been sent with the help of mules also,” Devgan stated.
An SDRF team on Saturday reached Panchayat Jarode to provide emergency aid and assess conditions on the ground. Relief materials, including basic need kits and medical supplies, were distributed among affected families. Medical teams offered onsite treatment to villagers in urgent need.
As part of the outreach, SDRF personnel also interacted with local residents to document unmet needs and shared the findings with the District Administration to support coordinated relief.
In Thunag, where a devastating cloudburst triggered fresh destruction, ITBP personnel have launched joint operations with local authorities and the NDRF to clear debris, search for survivors and assist displaced families.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Mandi district administration to carry out rescue operations on a war footing and ensure that relief reaches all those in need.
SEOC data covering the period from 20 June to 4 July paints a bleak picture. As many as 288 people have been injured and the economic losses, stemming from damage to roads, bridges, buildings and homes, have been estimated at â‚ą541.09 crore.
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