Subham Singh
NEW DELHI, July 4: Relentless rains continue to wreak havoc in the two Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with the situation continue to remain grim.
More than 130 people have been killed in rain havoc in the two states since the onset on monsoon on June 1 with Uttarakhand accounting for 70 deaths and Himachal Pradesh at least 63. Many people are still reported missing in the two states including some tourists who were visiting the Himalayan states and were caught in the flood fury.
According to the data released by the state-run Emergency Operation. (SOE), of the 70 deaths in Uttarakhand, 20 were killed in flash floods and 50 others died in road accidents. At least 370 people have been rescued so far, including 316 in Mandi alone. At least 300 livestock—including 164 cattle—have perished.
Intense rainfall created flood-like situations in multiple regions of Uttarkashi as the rising Alaknanda River in Rudraprayag surged over 20 meters, swallowing ghats, pathways, and even a 15-foot-tall Shiva idol near the Belni bridge.
In Himachal Pradesh, Mandi district has emerged as ground zero for destruction, reporting 17 deaths and 40 people missing. Several villages have been buried under debris, while visuals on social media show terrifying torrents of muddy water carrying away homes, bridges, and livestock.
The Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, visited the battered village of Syathi in Dharampur and announced a special relief package for those who lost homes, along with compensation for livestock and cattle sheds destroyed in the floods.
According to the official reports, properties worth Rs 400 crores have been damaged, 500 state and village roads have been closed and 918 power transformers shut down forcing thousands of people to live in the darkness.
