I-Day tourists must avoid Himachal hills, officials advise

With close to 30 lives lost over two days across Himachal Pradesh, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu administration has advised residents of Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Kinnaur among others to keep their accommodations clear as these are among the most landslide prone regions in the state. With the long weekend heading into Independence Day, many tourists have plans for the hills, but officials in Shimla made it clear they should keep away and head for the Kangra Valley instead. An official said most of the administrative and rescue operation manpower will remain focused on helping clear roads and highways and rescuing people rather than being involved in the national holiday as this is the CM’s first priority. Cloudbursts in Mandi, Solan, breaching nallahs in Hamirpur and landslides have caused heavy damage; the weather office has issued a red alert till 16 August.
At least 40 people are said to be stuck under debris after a temple and houses collapsed on the hillside like packs of cards as Himachal Pradesh witnesses a second onslaught of monsoon rains. The Kalka-Shimla rail route has been reportedly damaged and several videos on social media showed the train track hanging in the air. Rescue operations have been hampered by incessant rain and Chief Minister Sukhu has appealed to people to remain indoors, as he shut down schools and colleges to minimise risk to more lives. Visiting the temple collapse site in the Summer Hill area among the other disaster site in Shimla’s Fagli where several houses were buried under mud, Sukhu directed authorities to ensure all possible assistance to the affected families. Himachal has 17,120 landslide-prone sites, of which 675 are near critical infrastructure and habitations, said an official from Mandi district where several villages have been washed away. At least 15 people who were visiting the Shiva temple in Sumner Hill for the auspicious Monday prayers for Shravan were buried.
Heavy rain has caused havoc in Hamirpur, with Beas and its tributaries in spate. The worst affected are the areas where the nullahs of Maan and Kunah are located. Ashok Kundra a Himachal resident for nearly three decades said, “I’ve been a witness to the damage that has been done to nature over the years…What is happening now, this disaster was always bound to happen.” He, however, does not hold the government responsible. “What can they do here? Nothing can be done pre-disaster. People won’t leave their homes unguarded. At the least, the NDRF can be kept ready and hope for the best.” Himachal was hit by rains and floods in June-July as well, but the disaster then caused more damage to properties than lives, said the officer.