The death toll due to incessant rains reached 27 in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. At least six people are still missing while two people have sustained injuries, according to a government statement.
As many as 46 incidents of landslides, flash floods, cloud bursts and road accidents were reported in the State during the past 48 hours. Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Kullu, Hamirpur and Shimla districts of Himachal Pradesh have been the worst affected. Several rivers and rivulets are in spate even as the rainfall relatively relented on Sunday.
At least 52 houses collapsed during the intense rains while eight vehicles were damaged in different rain-related incidents, said the report of State Disaster Management. Principal secretary (Revenue) Onkar Sharma said that ₹232.31 crore has been released from the State Disaster Response Fund to the affected districts.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director Surinder Pal at Shimla said that the State experienced record-breaking single-day rainfall on Saturday, which was almost a “300% departure on the higher side than normal” for this period.
“The overall rainfall on Sunday was relatively less than yesterday [Saturday] across the State. There will be light to moderate rainfall in the next 24 hours in many places of the State. Between August 23 and 26, the rains are expected to pick up again,” he said.
Amid the unprecedented rains lashing the State, the All India Congress Committee spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore has asked the State government to seek financial assistance from the Centre.
“The State government should immediately ask the Central government for relief package and start relief work on war footing and restore transportation, as well as give financial assistance to those families who have lost precious lives and property,” he said in a statement.
