At least six houses were swept away and more than 10 people were feared trapped after a landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district on Monday, the Hindustan Times reported.
The landslide at Boh village in the Shahpur sub-division occurred after the region was hit by heavy rain.
Bhanu Sharma, an official with the Kangra District Disaster Management Authority, said that rescue teams were on their way to the village, but that the road was blocked due to landslides. “The DDMA has sent a requisition to the Indian Air Force but aerial rescue will not be possible at present due to the bad weather in the area,” he said.
Heavy rain also caused damage in other parts of Kangra district. In Bagali village, Sandeep Kumar, vice-president of the panchayat, told ANI that four to five houses were completely deluged, and at least ten shops in the area sustained severe damage.
Some houses and shops in the Chetru village were also under water, the agency quoted Dharamsala MLA Vishal Nehria as saying. The MLA assured that relief would be provided to those affected by the flash floods.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the situation in the state was being closely monitored. “Authorities are working with the state government,” he said. “All possible support is being extended. I pray for the safety of those in affected areas.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took note of the flash floods and landslides.
“I have spoken to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur regarding the natural calamities that occurred due to heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh,” Shah tweeted. “An NDRF team will reach the spot for relief operations. The home ministry is continuously monitoring the situation. The Centre will extend every possible help to Himachal Pradesh.”
Chief Minister Thakur said that no casualties have been reported in the Dharamsala flash floods till now. “All the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police have been ordered to stay alert and keep regulating tourist places,” he said. “I appeal to all the tourists to avoid visiting high-risk areas.”
The India Meteorological Department has issued a heavy to very heavy rainfall alert for isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
The south-west monsoon has now reached most parts of India. However, it is yet to reach Delhi, Haryana, parts of west Uttar Pradesh and west Rajasthan.
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