Himachal CM visits cloudburst-hit villages; 34 still missing

Shimla, July 2 (IANS) A day after natural disaster claimed 10 lives in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday visited Syathi village that is located in the Laungani panchayat in Dharampur in Mandi district where he met families affected by a cloudburst, listened to their woes, shared grief and also reviewed relief and rehabilitation operations.

A total of 61 people have been badly impacted by the cloudburst that caused significant damage to houses, cowsheds and livestock in the area.

The district administration has provided an assistance of Rs 1.70 lakh as financial aid, ration, tarpaulins and other relief material to each household.

Speaking with the affected families, the Chief Minister said the government stands firmly with all the affected and assured of all possible assistance.

He directed the administration to ensure the best possible arrangements for the affected. A special relief package will be given to help rebuild damaged houses and enhanced compensation will also be provided for loss of livestock, including cows, goats and sheep, as well as for destroyed cowsheds, the Chief Minister said.

Recalling the frightening incident, villagers narrated their sorrows and told that the entire village swept away all of sudden and they even do not have a place of land left to pitch tents for shelter.

“Many of us narrowly escaped death and were eyewitness to the horrifying incident,” said a local resident.

Responding to the plea, the Chief Minister assured that if the government land was available nearby it would be allotted to those who lost their houses and in case the land falls under restricted forest, the matter will be taken up with the Union government.

He also inspected the damage caused to the Mandi-Kotli road. Speaking informally to the media, the Chief Minister said widespread havoc had been caused due to torrential rain in Mandi district.

“I was informed that 20 houses were damaged completely in Syathi village and 61 people were safely evacuated who were sheltered in relief camps,” said Sukhu.

“There is a need of in-depth study to ascertain the reasons of landslides even at places having solid strata,” he said, adding, “Never before it has been seen around 8-10 cloudburst occurring in a single night and there is need that both Central and state governments should collectively study the cause of such incidents.”

The Chief Minister said Thunag, Janjehli and Bagsiad areas of Mandi district have also suffered heavy losses owing to widespread rains.

As per official data, 10 people have lost their lives, while 34 have been missing in Mandi district. The casualties include five deaths in Gohar subdivision, three in Thunag, and one each in Jogindernagar and Karsog. The identification of the deceased are being done by the administration.

--IANS

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