Floods in Himachal Pradesh: Rescue Operations in Samej Village and Heavy Rainfall Warning
Rescue operations are ongoing in Samej village, Himachal Pradesh, after a cloudburst on August 1. The Indian Meteorological Department predicts heavy rainfall on August 7. Landslides have closed 85 roads, including two National Highways, and disrupted 116 electricity and 65 water supply schemes.
An incident of a catastrophic cloudburst occurred in the Lahaul and Spiti districts on Monday. Visuals from the Chicham area showed two bridges washed away due to the cloudburst.
Previously, on August 5, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the state continued its sincere efforts to restore normalcy and conduct search operations in the flood-affected regions of the state. Addressing the media in Shimla, PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh assured the public that the state is fully prepared to handle any emergency situations, especially with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing rain warnings.
“We are trying our best to search and restore the affected areas,” said Singh. “There are nearly 80 roads closed in the state, and there has been a loss of 300 crore rupees to the PWD. In the districts of Kullu and Shimla, search and relief operations are ongoing. Bodies are being recovered, and I have personally visited the sites. In Mandi, 8 bodies have been recovered, and 30 people are still missing. Rescue operations by the SDRF, NDRF, and other central and state agencies are continuing to search for the missing people,” he added.
The minister highlighted the urgent need to restore infrastructure, mentioning the deployment of three bailey bridges and a request to the Chief Minister to procure additional bridges worth 20 crore rupees to better prepare for future disasters.
“We are trying to do our best to restore the situation to normal. The Chief Minister has spoken to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, but so far, we have not received any financial assistance from the Union government. We hope that we will get help soon,” Singh said.
Doubts Revealed
Himachal Pradesh -: Himachal Pradesh is a state in northern India, known for its beautiful mountains and valleys.
Rescue Operations -: Rescue operations are efforts made by people like firefighters and police to save others from dangerous situations, like floods.
Samej Village -: Samej Village is a small place in Himachal Pradesh where people live and work.
Cloudburst -: A cloudburst is a sudden, heavy rainstorm that can cause floods and landslides.
Indian Meteorological Department -: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is a government agency that predicts the weather, like rain and storms.
Landslides -: Landslides happen when rocks and soil slide down a hill or mountain, often caused by heavy rain.
National Highways -: National Highways are big roads that connect different parts of India, making travel easier.
PWD Minister -: The PWD Minister is a government official in charge of Public Works Department, which looks after roads and buildings.
Vikramaditya Singh -: Vikramaditya Singh is a politician and the PWD Minister in Himachal Pradesh.
Union government -: The Union government is the central government of India, which makes decisions for the whole country.
