Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 26 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday has directed all the Deputy Commissioners of the State to stay alert and ensure 24/7 availability for the public to deal with the unfolding situation efficiently, keeping in view the adverse weather conditions.
According to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), while reviewing the situation in the State with district administrations virtually from Shimla today, he asked all Deputy Commissioners to conduct relief and rehabilitation operations for affected individuals on a war-footing basis.
The Chief Minister also instructed them to identify individuals or families, particularly migrant labourers, living close to the banks of rivers, khads, and nullahs and to relocate them to safer places, while ensuring their safety. He also directed the issuance of advisories warning tourists and locals against venturing near rivers and nullahs during the rainy season.
He also asked them to report all kinds of losses to the government as soon as possible.
CM Sukhu stated that power projects incur repeated losses during every monsoon season and called for the formulation of a comprehensive strategy to safeguard their vital infrastructure.
The statement said that over the last 24 hours, Himachal Pradesh has reported three cloudbursts, nine flash floods, and three landslides, resulting in five fatalities and one injury.
Three individuals in Kullu district and 5-6 in Kangra district are still missing, while 21 stranded persons have been evacuated. Two national highways, 505 and NH-03, are still blocked at multiple locations due to landslides. Following a cloudburst at Majhan nullah in Sainj Valley, the downstream hydroelectric projects, Sainj, Parvati, and Larji, have been shut down and opened their gates as a precautionary measure. Intensive search and rescue operations are underway, with teams from the SDRF, Home Guards, and NDRF operating across the affected areas.
MLAs Mohan Lal Brakta and Ashish Butail, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Special Secretary Revenue D.C. Rana, OSD to Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, were also present on the occasion.
Earlier in the day, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, addressing the wider impact across the state, said that Himachal Pradesh witnessed cloudbursts at three locations and flash floods at nine locations.
"There have been cloudbursts at three locations and flash floods at nine locations in the state. There is confirmation of five deaths. In Kullu, two people are missing. In Kangra, three people have died due to a cloudburst and five people are missing; one person stranded in a forest area is being rescued."
CM Sukhu added,"Fifteen houses located near rivers or nallas have been damaged. There has been significant damage to many roads in villages due to a cloudburst. Tourists are welcome to the state during monsoon, but they should not go near rivers/nallas."
A major incident was also reported in Kullu's Sainj sub-tehsil, where a cloudburst near Jeeva Nalla on Wednesday afternoon swept away four houses. The incident occurred around 1:41 PM downstream of the Jiwa Trench Weir in Majhan Nallah, leading to a sharp rise in the water level of the Sainj River.
According to a situation report issued by the Himachal Pradesh State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) at 5:10 PM, two to three people were feared missing after being washed into the Jeeva Nalla. The District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Kullu, confirmed the cloudburst and noted the resulting rise in river levels due to increased inflow.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and West Uttar Pradesh from June 25 to July 1.