36 missing after cloudburst in Shimla district

Shimla, Aug 1 (IANS) At least 36 people were missing after a cloudburst in Rampur in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district, officials said on Thursday.

Rescuers have rushed to the spot for relief and rehabilitation operations.

The Meteorological (MeT) office in Shimla has issued an ‘orange’ alert for heavy to very heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, at isolated places in the state for the next 24 hours.

Reports say flash floods in the Beas and Parvati rivers in Kullu district have damaged public and private property.

After heavy rain, a dam of a hydropower project in Malana located on the Parvati River has burst. The Kullu administration has issued an alert, advising people not to go near the river and water channels.

Union Minister and BJP chief J.P. Nadda spoke to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and took information and assured all possible help from the Central government.

Nadda also spoke to former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and directed all BJP workers to engage in relief operations.

The weather office also warned of the possibility of landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas of Kullu, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla and Kinnaur districts.

Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap said teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the police, and local rescue units have been rushed to the affected area.

The Chief Minister has convened an emergency meeting in the secretariat here following three cloudbursts across the states, an official statement said.

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