Himachal Pradesh monsoon toll at 78; flash floods hit Mandi; 4 Chamba panchayats cut off
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Cloudbursts and flash floods have caused a maximum of 22 deaths --- 14 from Mandi district alone, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre. As many as 28 people have died in road accidents. The state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 572.69 crore.
In the early hours of Sunday, a flash flood struck Kathwad rivulet in Chamba's Churah, washing away a bridge on Chamba-Chanju road, a water mill, and several structures.
4
Chamba panchayats
cut off; IAF drops ration
Four panchayats of Churah sub-division — Bagheigarh, Charra, Chanju, and Dehra — were cut off from the district headquarters.
In the remote Chohar Valley of Padhar sub-division in Mandi, a cloudburst occurred in the village of Kotrang under Silhbudhani gram panchayat on the intervening night of July 5 and 6.
Padhar sub-divisional magistrate Surjit Singh, along with other officials, reached the village and assessed the damage.
Singh said there was no loss of life or injuries reported due to the cloudburst. However, three footbridges and one motorable bridge over the Kugdi and Kotrang streams were washed away. Additionally, around 50 bighas of private land belonging to the residents of Kotrang village, located near the rivulet, were swept away.
Meanwhile, search and relief operations continued in the disaster-hit areas of Mandi on Sunday.
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An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter dropped 90 ration kits, 75 blankets, 3 boxes of clothing for men and women, two boxes of essential medicines, and other necessary supplies in the Seraj Valley.
Additional director of the panchayati raj department, Surender Mohan, said a search team from NDRF and SDRF was using drones to locate people missing in the flood between Pandoh Dam and Patikri village.
Mohan said two separate 18member teams have launched a search operation from Patikri Dam to Bakhli Khad towards Janjehli and Thunag.
Additionally, ITBP teams, along with porters and patwaris, have delivered ration kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, and medicines to the affected villages in the remote Pakhrar panchayat, said Mohan. He said around 300 people have been accommodated at Government Primary School, Thunag, and the PWD rest house in Thunag. Mohan added that the Thunag to Janjehli road has now been cleared up to Lambathach, and restoration work was in full swing to open all roads leading to Janjehli.
So far, nine pregnant women from the affected areas have been transported through various means to the regional hospital in Mandi and Nerchowk Medical College. Also, one pregnant woman has been referred from Janjehli via Karsog to IGMC, Shimla. According to officials, roadblocks in the affected areas were a major hurdle in reaching out to the affected people, especially in the Seraj region.
As many as 243 roads remained closed in the state on Sunday, with the highest 183 in Mandi district, followed by 36 in Kullu, 12 in Kangra, 6 in Una, four in Chamba, and two in Sirmaur district.
Power and water supply also remained disrupted in the flood-affected areas.
According to the SEOC, 241 transfers were non-functional on Sunday, with the highest 182 in Mandi, and 278 water supply schemes remained disrupted in Mandi district.
Ranaut finally in Mandi
Mandi parliamentary constituency MP Kangana Ranaut visited the flood-affected Thunag area of Seraj Valley on Sunday. Ranaut met the victims in Thunag and assured them of all possible help.
Ranaut said that even though the Prime Minister is on a foreign visit, he is aware of what is happening here, and the central govt has acted swiftly. She added that as an MP, her role is to secure funds.
'My role is to bring relief funds from the Centre. I don't have any personal fund, nor do I have any officials or a cabinet of my own. Still, I manage to reach the affected areas. The central funds are sent to the state govt. It won't come to me or to Jai Ram ji. Still, I manage to reach as I am also a Himachali and a Pahari,' she said.
It may be mentioned that Ranaut faced a lot of criticism for not visiting the flood-affected areas of her constituency.
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