Monsoon mayhem in North

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 1
Four persons were killed while 49 are reported missing in three separate incidents of cloudburst in the Rampur area of Shimla, Nirmand in Kullu and Chauhar Valley of Mandi late last night.
A total of 36 persons still remained untraceable from the Samej Khud near the Jhakri area of Rampur in Shimla district, where 22 houses were washed away by the gushing waters following a cloudburst at 12.15 am. “A rescue operation is being undertaken in an 85-km area, which has been divided into six parts,” said Shimla DC Anupam Kashyap, while monitoring the operation. The number of people swept away is higher as the cloudburst took place when people were fast asleep.

One person died while nine are missing in the Nirmand area of Kullu, and of the 10 missing in Chauhar Valley, three bodies have been recovered. Rescue operations have been launched to trace those missing with the help of the NDRF, SDRF, police, local administration and villagers. Massive damage has been caused to roads and bridges, especially in Nirmand area.
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said: “Rescue operations are being undertaken on a war footing. The Army and the Air Force have been asked to remain on standby as there is an alert of heavy rain in the next 24 hours”.
Those missing include two Nepalese labourers in Bagipul area of Shrikhand Mahadev trekking route. Four persons were stuck in a tunnel of the Malana hydel project-I and 33 employees working in the power house were stranded on a hill after the barrage gave way due to a cloudburst upstream.