5 Dead as Rain, Cloudbursts & Flash Floods Batter Himachal; Orange Alert Issued

5 Dead as Rain, Cloudbursts & Flash Floods Batter Himachal: Himachal Pradesh has been battered by heavy rains and flash floods, 5 dead and many missing. Kullu and Kangra are the worst hit. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has confirmed three cloudbursts in the state.

"So far, we have confirmation of five people who have died due to the rains and flash floods," he said.

More rain is expected in the state, and orange alert is for Sunday, June 29. Flash floods and landslides are expected in Una, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kangra, Chamba, Kullu, and Mandi.

Search operation on to find the missing persons — 3 each from Kullu and Kangra. Meanwhile, one person died of drowning in a rivulet in Kullu on Thursday. Flash floods occurred in Kangra and Kullu on Wednesday.

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“Out of five, four were identified. As per the information provided to us by the contractor at the Hydroelectric power project, three people are still missing. Separately, a man, who had climbed up and entered a forest area to save himself yesterday from the increased water at the hydro power project site, was traced today,” said Deputy Commissioner (Kangra) Hemraj Bairwa.

According to police, 250 people have been rescued so far, and of the five who died, four have been identified. "One survivor has been rescued from the forest... The survivor said that when the flash flood occurred, he and some of his companions ran into the forest... According to him, eight of his companions were swept away in the water flow," the Kangra SP told news

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Apart from this, 3 persons in Kullu and 6 in Kangra are missing. Intensive search and rescue operations are on, SDRF, Home Guards, and NDRF teams are working. 21 people stranded have been evacuated from different places.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said more than 15 houses collapsed and were washed away in the cloudbursts. “Around nine flash floods along with three cloudbursts, were reported in Kullu and Kangra in the last 24 hours. Five bodies were recovered in Kangra. Five people are still missing. I believe that roads especially connecting the villages, were damaged to a large extent. We have issued necessary guidelines and warnings throughout the state,” Sukhu added.

Police in Lahaul and Spiti received information that a group of 31 trekkers, who had set out from Hamta and were scheduled to reach Chhatru, had not arrived at their destination within the expected time on Wednesday, and were later located. “Considering the seriousness of the situation, a rescue team was immediately dispatched from Koksar. All 31 were safely located,” he said.

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